


Partners

by ChicagoTeddy, Lindserton



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Anilingus, Barebacking, Blow Jobs, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Connor and Hank are switch vers, Frottage, Hand Jobs, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Character Death, Post-Canon, Slow Burn, So yes they will both bottom (at some point), Spit As Lube
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-07-18 06:32:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 62,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16112807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChicagoTeddy/pseuds/ChicagoTeddy, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lindserton/pseuds/Lindserton
Summary: Connor and Hank try to find their places in the post game world, and each other's lives.This is adapted from a roleplay so the writing is 3rd person omniscient, back and forth between the two.





	1. Personal Space

**Author's Note:**

> Lindserton and I got a little obsessed with DBH and this is the (ongoing) result. Not sure how long it will be or where it will really go, but we are having a good time ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> This first chapter is mostly just cute set up.

Connor had never received a hug before- not like this, at least- and the movement caught him off guard. He wondered how long it had been since Hank had given someone else a hug, another human, and his LED blinked yellow as his head was pulled to the other man's chest.  


Numbers flashed over his HUD, obscuring his vision for the briefest of moments. The air was cold. Thankfully, Hanks core temperature seemed unaffected by the weather. He knew Hanks skin was warm even though he couldn’t feel it as the detective brought a hand to the back of his head.  


“Lieutenant.” His arms moved of their own accord, lifting and resting on the larger mans sides in an attempt to return the affection. A lot had happened in the previous days, and Connor wasn’t sure who, where, or what to turn to. He wasn’t even sure of what else to say and fell silent, ear to Hanks chest, as he listened to the heartbeat that made him wholly human.  


Hank had pulled Connor into his arms almost instinctively. They had never been so close before, he supposed on multiple levels, and it was almost startling how easily the android fit against him. He thought passingly of puzzle pieces, but the thought was embarrassing and he banished it quickly. 

It had been a long night. He'd had a lot of those in his life so far, but this one had been different. Instead of a depression so palpable he tried to drown it, this night had been filled with anxiety. Connor had to go do his revolution thing or whatever, but a lot of androids were being shot, and the idea of Connors limp body, soaked in blue, being left in a gutter somewhere made him feel cold. Now to know he was ok, that maybe everything would be okay...the sun was rising.  


He had a sense that the world was on a precipice now, about to get even harder and messier, but for just this moment he held his friend, trying to memorize the feel of his lean body pressed to his, since there was a good chance they'd never get so close again. But then it was over, and a prickle at the back of his mind made him pull away, release Connor, and step back a half step. 

"Glad you're still in one piece." He said gruffly, and his throat ached from the strain of sounding nonchalant.  


Connor stepped away from Hank, but not too far, and let his arms fall limply at his sides. Hank seemed exhausted and a quick assessment of his features confirmed this. His LED soon blinked back to a steady and calm blue. “I’m just fine. You... You look tired, Lieutenant.”  


"Yeah well its hard to sleep when history is being made on the news" Hank crossed his arms, and breathed a sigh into the cold morning air. "A lot of humans are heading for the hills around here. No one knows what's going on."  


Connor nodded and watched Hanks breath disappear into the air. He seemed lost in thought for a moment, standing there rigidly. “Do you think I did the right thing?”  


Hank watched him thoughtfully, his own gray blue eyes meeting Connors deep soft browns. It had been hard since meeting Connor not to get lost in those eyes. They were the sweetest thing Hank had seen in years, which meant he'd avoided them directly like a plague. But now, they met, and held. He gave a small but firm nod. "I do."  


The corners of Connors lips twitched upwards slightly in a ghost of a smile but his expression seemed blank and almost bleak. “What... Do I do now? Where do I go?” His voice sounded foreign even to himself, soft, and his warm breath hung in clouds in the air.  


Hank could feel the...fear? Was it fear? Emanating from the android and an invisible line tugged at his heart, telling him to go to him, to hold him again. He fought it. He couldn’t start that shit. Instead he took a small step forward and smiled at him reassuringly. "For the first time...that's up to you Connor. Cyberlife doesn't own you anymore. So...what do you want to do?"  


He studied him, curious about his answer. Would he leave? Go live with Jericho somewhere and keep working on the resistance? Would they even keep in touch? The thought hurt so badly he could hardly stand it. He’d lost so much in his life and now he'd set himself up for it yet again. Moron.  


Connor kept his eyes steadily on Hanks face as he listened to him but then broke the gaze to stare at the snowy ground. He was free- he could make a life for himself and do whatever he wanted- but that fact was too big for his processors to handle. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he thought, the LED cycling through a steady yellow, and he took a long minute to answer.  


“I know it sounds absurd but I don’t want to leave. I want to keep working in the force. I want to continue to be your partner, if you’ll allow it.”  


Hank blinked, unable to hide his shock. It hadn't been at all the answer he'd expected. "You....you want to stay? But Connor there’s a lot of danger right now, a lot of anti-android sentiment in law enforcement...it would be hard..."  


“I know. And I know it’s what I was made to do. But... it gave me a purpose. I think that’s what I need right now.” Connor looked up to meet his eyes again. “It’s what I need until I find another purpose, Lieutenant.” He paused again and shifted one leg in the snow, the hard pack crunching under his shoe as he did so. A nervous tic, perhaps. His LED stayed a blaring yellow. “If you don’t want to continue having me as a partner then I... regrettably understand why. Perhaps they can find some other job for me.”  


"Christ Connor, of course I want to keep you around. You’re my friend" There was an exasperated honestly in Hank’s gruff voice, and the word tasted strange in his mouth. He couldn’t remember the last time he'd used the word in relation to himself.  


The yellow blinked into blue for a few seconds as the corners of Connor’s lips twitched upwards again. His shoulders noticeably relaxed.  


Connor didn’t want to leave solely because of that; Hank was his friend and the only one at that. Markus had Simon and North and all the others at Jericho and sure, he would become their friend too, but this was a different circumstance. He had already learned so much about Hank but wasn’t done- his AI yearned for more. “That really pleases me to hear, Lieutenant.”  


"There’s a lot of logistics the government has to work out involving paying androids I assume. And...where are you going to stay?" Hank watched him steadily, wondering if Connor had a plan.  


Connors eyes met his again briefly. “I’m not sure. I could find a place. A lot of areas have been abandoned due to the rioting. I just need somewhere to charge- that’s all.”  


"You honestly think I’m gonna let you go stand in some damp fucking hole while a revolution is going on?" Hank’s voice was dry, but a smile played in his eyes.  


“I... Well...” Connor stammered and fought for a proper response. “If an area is wet, it won’t bother me. My clothes will get wet and I suppose that isn’t presentable as far as work ethic goes but I really don’t mind...”  


"I have a couch. It's a bit lumpy, and covered in dog hair, but it's better than a shack somewhere." Hank looked up to meet his eyes again.  


“Lieutenant...” The yellow whirled again persistently as he struggled in thought. “I don’t have anything of monetary value to pay rent with.” He had only been in Hanks home a scant number of times but knew enough that it was a personal space for him. Somewhere to get away from work and to relax by himself.  


"Oh shut the fuck up Connor. Now say yes before I change my mind." He grumbled and ran a hand through his messy silver hair. It was a little damp from the chilled dew in the air.  


“Alright. But if you no longer want my presence... Please, let me know. Once I start earning money I’ll find my own place. I don’t want to be a burden to you.” The LED finally returned to a steady blue color, pleasant and calm, and his expression brightened considerably. “Thank you, Lieutenant. You’re a good friend.”  


"Yeah yeah. You’ll regret that once you’re walking up to Sumo drool every morning." Hank looked wistfully at the window of Chicken Feed. "I have a feeling they aren’t opening today."  


“I like dogs. I like Sumo.” The corners of his eyes crinkled again as the smile returned to his face, more earnest and sincere. He turned towards the restaurant. “It would appear not. Perhaps I could try making you a burger when we get to your home. I haven’t been programmed to cook but I can research some recipes and try my best for you.”  


"Nah that’s alright, I don’t have the supplies anyway. Besides, you aren’t expected to do anything for me Connor, got it?" He watched his face closely, noticing the touch of a smile on his face. It made him feel a bit dizzy. "Come on let’s get out of here, its fuckin freezing"  


“But I’d like to. I need to learn some new skills if I’m expected to integrate smoothly back into society.” He leaned back on the heels of his feet and the crunchy snow gave way under his shoes. “And I agree. It’s approximately 35° Fahrenheit outside. Any further exposure will pose a risk of you developing minor frostbite.”  


Hank opened the passenger door to the vehicle for Connor, ignore his calculations. "Do you seriously want to make me a burger?"  


“I do. Do you not have the ingredients for it? Perhaps we could stop somewhere and get some although I’m not sure what stores are open nearby given the circumstances...” He did an internal search of stores nearby and the hours of assorted places appeared on his HUD. It was so natural of him to get in Hank’s car, his body fitting perfectly in the passenger seat as it always had, and he moved to neatly buckle himself up.  


Hank (who never buckled and had actually jerry rigged his seat to disable the god awful sensor that was rigged to alarm when passengers weren’t secure) looked to Connor, warming his cold, rough hands in front of the heater. "I’m sure there’s a few. If you really want to I’m sure as hell not gonna complain. I’d kill for a good burger after all that shit yesterday."  


An image, a memory, of the secondary RK800 flashed through his memory, thirium trickling out of the bullet he'd sunk in it. It had Connors face…  


No. He had to forget that. It was too unnerving. It wasn't Connor. Only Connor was Connor…  


“Making you a burger is the least I could do.” Connor tilted his face towards the other man and watched him warm his hands for a moment.  


Hank was so unique in appearance, from his hair to his fingers, and he was lost in thought for a moment on how all humans were genetically made to be different in appearance and personality. Connor wondered if androids would start changing their appearances more often now that they had the right to. “I’ve searched local social media and it appears that a store approximately three miles away is open and in operation.”  


"Great. I guess that’s where we're headed then."  


They drove to the store, Hank turning up the volume of his stereo so it was just past the threshold of bareability. He rarely sang along, at least not while anyone besides Sumo was around, but he settled for nodding his head a bit in time. The city outside was quiet in comparison to the past few days, but traces of the action lingered. There were tags of Jericho’s symbol, small trash fires, and they even passed a badly destroyed android, hung from a tree in an image startlingly familiar to America’s dark past. Hank felt his stomach twist.  


Connor settled against the back of the seat quietly and listened to the music. He quickly deciphered the artist and name of the song and stored the useless information into his memory in case of future use. He wasn’t immediately aware of their surrounding as they passed them but the image of the android nearly kicked his fans into overdrive. His hands drew into tight fists on his lap and he quickly wrenched his eyes away from the carnage.  


Hank could sense Connor's tension, and glanced at him. "It’s wrong Connor. But things are going to change. Maybe keeping an android on the force is the best possible way to change it." 

“Yes. I hope you’re right, Lieutenant.” He grew quiet afterwards as he ran a diagnostics check on himself; his body felt strange, an odd pressure in his abdomen, but everything seemed to be in perfect working order. When the car stopped he looked over to him again and when he spoke his voice was softer than it had been. “Perhaps... It’s best if I wait in the car. Shall I provide you with a list of ingredients instead?”  


Hank nodded, and pulled out his gun heavily, handing it to the android. "Keep an eye on her ok? Now what do we need?"  


Connor paused before taking the gun. The metal felt heavy and foreign in his hand and he wondered if the last time it had been used had been... 

He quickly placed the gun on his lap for safe keeping and reached inside to pull out a mini notebook and pen. It was a silly thing to carry around especially for an android but they were a necessity for everyone else in the force. Considering he could commit everything to his internal memory, the notebook proved to be a waste is most situations. Instead he found it useful now as he started hitting down a list of essential ingredients, his handwriting precise and uniform. He used the recipe as reference as he worked and when he was finished he handed the slip back to Hank. “This should be everything.”  


Hank took the paper and stuffed it into his coat pocket before getting out of the car. "Be right back. Do NOT leave the car" He commanded sternly. Given the current atmosphere in the city, he had no idea what to expect as far as Connor's safety, and he wasn't interested in finding out. He shut the car door, and headed into the store, glancing around as the sun slowly brightened in the sky.  


Connor nodded again and watched Hank slip out of the car. He shifted the gun so it was more concealed near his hip and sat quietly, keeping his eyes facing forward. He tried not to dwell on the past few days but found the memories surfacing up from his hardware again; his fans kicked in and that bizarre pressure started in his chest again. Why did that keep happening?  


Hank tried to be timely in his shopping, tossing things into a basket anxiously. He tried to ignore 'why' he was anxious, and instead focused on ingredients, referencing the paper Connor had given him. The writing was perfect, just like everything else about the android...so inhuman. But he had seen those flickers in Connor, those moments of humanity, and it was an uneasy juxtaposition. How much could he feel? He thought about the girls at Eden…  


He was getting into territory he didn't want to dwell on again and he forced it from his mind, paying for the items before walking back to the car.  


Connor hadn’t moved from his spot in the passenger seat, the gun concealed by his hip, and only moved to watch Hank as he approached the car. The ghost of a smile appeared again and his eyebrows rose slightly when the other man got in. “I hope you didn’t have too much trouble finding things.”  


Hank tossed the bags in the back and sat down heavily in the passenger seat. The exhaustion was just finally starting to reach him, his eyes stinging and heavy. "Nope, easy as pie. I can take the gun back now" he turned and offered Connor his outstretched palm.  


Connor paused and gently handed the gun back to him, depositing it into his open palm, then took th groceries onto his lap.  


Hank slipped the gun into its concealed holster at his hip, the motion done as deftly as if it were an extension of his own body. They drove home, but Hank chose a different, longer route to avoid passing the murdered android in the tree. Later today he would have a hard day of work cleaning up Detroit's messes. But now all he wanted was to go home, eat a burger, and pass out.  


Connor stayed mostly silent throughout the ride home. He occasionally commented on the choice of music but kept his gaze on the scenery outside. This jaunt to Hanks home was different from the previous trips, not of business or for a wellness check, and he wondered if Hank would act differently around him because of this. He was pleased to hear the faint woofing of Sumo from in the house and shifted the grocery bag as he stepped out of the car. 

Hank recognized it as the 'I’m lonely' bark, and he sighed.  


“Perhaps Sumo would like a burger to eat as well.” Connor suggested.  


"No way. Fuck my cholesterol but I need that dog healthy. He's on a diet right now." Hank chuckled and grabbed the groceries, stepping out of the car.  


“Alright. Maybe you’ll change your mind once you see him begging.” Connors voice had a soft hum to it as he stepped out of the car and neatly shut the door behind him.  


Hank rolled his eyes exaggeratedly as he headed up to the house and unlocked the door. 

Sumo was waiting, bouncing up and down and releasing deep, excited "boof!" 's. Hank buried his fingers in the St. Bernards mane, ruffling it affectionately, trying to sound stern as he said "Get down you dumb dog, no jumping!" But Sumo didn't listen and Hank didn't really care.  


Next the dog turned its attention to Connor. It took a moment for him to recognize the android, but then he leaped up, planting heavy paws firmly on Connor's chest, and lapped him in the face.  


Connor had set the groceries down and watched the dog and his owner interact, his eyes bright and the slightest of smiles on his lips, clearly tickled by the whole situation. He thought he knew what to expect when Sumo leapt at him but instead stumbled backwards momentarily. He quickly caught himself and let his usual stoic expression melt away. His mouth spread into a wide grin and he buried his fingers into the dog’s thick hair, scratching at his ears gently. “Hello, Sumo!”  


Connor's beautiful, perfect smile and genuine delight at Sumo made Hank's breath catch, and his heart stammer. He swallowed hard and busied himself with picking up the groceries, trying ignore whatever bizarre feeling had just struck him. He was worried now, about just how fond he was of the android. It had been years since anyone had filled his heart in that way, and leave it to Hank to get all sentimental about a robot that almost certainly couldn't return the feelings.  


“Okay Sumo, down.” Connor eased the dog down and continued to pet at his ears for a long moment even after Hank had carried the groceries into the kitchen for him. A quick scan affirmed that Hanks heartbeat had elevated slightly and the android quickly righted himself, hurrying after the older man. “Let me get those, Lieutenant. You should rest. I’ll start making some dinner.”  


"I'm fine, Connor..." He grumbled, but he eventually trailed off, leaving the ingredients on the counter.  


He was struck momentarily with how ridiculous the scenario was. Connor had just helped kick off a revolution but now here he was about to make Hank a burger in his kitchen. Didn't he have better things to do? More interesting things and people to tend to? He looked over to Connor, uncertainly.  


Connor had quickly set to work, reaching into the bag and pulling out each ingredient and inspecting them carefully. He seemed pleased with Hanks choices and stepped back, shrugging his Cyberlife coat off. He supposed he didn’t need to wear the mandatory outfit anymore but had nothing else to clothe himself with for the time being. Even still, he didn’t want to dirty the clothes that still blatantly marked his identity as ‘android’ and folded the jacket neatly over one of the kitchen chairs. He rolled up the sleeves of his button up, each fold precise, and accessed his HUD for the recipe again. “Lieutenant- where do you keep your pots and pans?”  


Hank opened his cabinet, pulling out the needed supplies and placing them beside the android. Then he pulled up a chair and sat wearily, wincing. "Hey, Connor, this might be a dumb question..."  


Connor thanked him and picked up a pan, looking it over. It was old and scratched but it would do just fine. “No question is dumb, Lieutenant.” He set the pan on the stove and turned to face the older man, leaning against the counter as he did so.  


Hank disagreed with the sentiment, but proceeded. "Can you eat?" He was plenty aware that androids didn’t have to eat, but the thought of whether it was actually even physically possible had only just now crossed his mind. He knew very little about android anatomy in general.  


Connor reached for the package of hamburger and cut it open neatly. “No, I can’t. I wasn’t built with the capability to. Some models, like Traci, are built to digest a certain amount of fluids...” He trailed off and even looked a little embarrassed as he spoke. “I can taste things, however. You know how I can analyze liquids, like thirium, just by sampling them, right? I suppose I could do that with certain foods as well.”  


Hank tried extremely hard to ignore the bit about the Traci's, not liking to think about those poor girls. "But it wouldn’t really 'taste' like anything right? Weird to have a chef that can't taste..."  


“I suppose not. I could analyze samples for the desired amount of sodium, the ratio of fats to lipids, sweetness...” He set the meat down and paused, knife in his hand. His LED blinked a bright yellow for a few seconds before switching back to his usual cool blue. “But I can’t truly taste anything in the way you could, Lieutenant. I’ll just have to try my best and hope it turns out alright.”  


Hank tapped his fingers on the table, eyes flicking to Connor's LED. "Damn. Wish we could eat together."  


“We could still sit together, if you’d like.”  


Hank nodded "Yeah I’d like that, if you don’t mind watching me eat." He stood, stretching his sore limbs. "I’m gonna shower and change, make yourself at home."  


“Dinner should be ready by the time you get out if my calculations are correct.” Connor nodded, nearly smiled, and turned back to meal prepping.  


That weird feeling in his stomach was back again and he paused as he seasoned the meat and started forming them into patties. A quick diagnostics check signaled that everything was still fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. His eyebrows knit together as he worked, his thoughts wandered to those of Hank, and he wondered if he did something to upset his friend.  


Hank pulled off his coat and tossed it over his chair, then headed off down the hall. The faint sounds of him rummaging for clean clothes came from his room.  


Connor settled his thoughts and focused on the task at hand. He followed the recipe exactly, carefully washed his hands in between handling the meat and toppings, and grilled him a few burgers over the stove. He toasted the buns and placed the near- perfectly circular patties onto them once he heard the water in the shower stop.  


He eyed over the burgers knowing he could have a taste and analyze them, but... for what reason? He wouldn’t be able to tell if they were good anyways. He just hoped they were acceptable enough to Hanks liking and were at least comparable to those at Chicken Feed.  


Hank returned in a hoodie, hair damp and pulled back messily in a low ponytail, but looking at least a bit refreshed. "Well it certainly smells good" He admitted, looking to Connor.  


Connor looked him over, pleased at how much more relaxed Hank seemed now that he had bathed. “I hope it tastes good too. I want you to be honest with me about it so I can improve on my cooking skills in the future.” He had already set the table, complete with a set of forks and knives for one, and began his work on plating a burger for him.  


He chuckled at the display as he sat, looking over the food. "Feel like I'm at a five star restaurant. You want me to eat a burger with a fuckin fork?"  


Connor stumbled over his words, unsure how to answer, and looked a little flustered. “I didn’t consider that option. Disregard the cutlery.” He sat across from him and folded his hands at the table, his shirt sleeves still pulled up to the elbows. He looked at Hank expectantly, his eyebrows raised and his LED glowing a steady blue.  


Hank paused to look at Connor across from him a moment, their starkly contrasting eyes meeting. He tried to keep his mind off how nice the eyes were once again, tried to keep his heart steady so the observant android didn’t get suspicious. He then picked up the burger and looked it over before taking a big bite.  


Connors smile appeared for the briefest moments when their eyes met and he watched Hank expectantly. “I cooked it to what the recipe said. It should be ‘medium-well done’. Anything less and it would have posed a potential risk of foodbourne illness.” He sat there like an excited child, nearly clinging to the edge of his seat with his hands now balled into fists on the table.  


Hank tried not to be bowled over by how cute Connor looked, focusing instead on the burger as he chewed and swallowed his bite thoughtfully. He looked to Connor again as he finished. "That's a good goddamn burger" He said honestly.  


There was something he couldn’t place about it, something very small, that was off. Maybe it was just TOO perfect. But it was objectively the best burger he’d ever had, and he mowed it down.  


Connor’s smile widened considerably and he leaned back in his seat as his fists loosened in relief. “I’m very happy to hear that. Maybe I’ll try to cook you something else sometime soon.” He pulled up a few recipes of general family style meals. “Spaghetti? Or fried chicken?”  


"Alright alright cut that out. Lets worry about that later, Gordon Ramsey. Right now I want to talk about you." He finished his burger happily, and there was a crumb left behind in his beard.  


A quick internal assessment alerted Connor to who Gordon Ramsey was and he seemed pleased at the comparison. Hanks statement threw him off and he could feel his eyebrows rising. “Talk about me? What do you mean?”  


"Your plans. What you’re going to be up to. Are you going to keep working with the resistance?" Hank watched Connor's face, brows drawn in concern he couldn't hide.  


The fact was, even if he knew it was morally right, he also knew it was dangerous. It was stupid, he knew, to worry so much. The android was significantly more capable of taking care of himself than Hank was in most ways, but he had seen how naive Connor could be, how thoughtless about his own safety. Maybe it was a trait they shared. Regardless, Hank felt a compulsion he couldn't fully understand to protect Connor, in any way he could.  


“I...” Connor trailed off and his eyes darted to the side. “I don’t really know Lieutenant.” His voice faltered, soft and unsure. “I helped on the night... I helped free them. Us. But...” He lifted a hand to his temple; that chest pressure was there again, overwhelming and persistent, and his breath caught in his throat for a moment.  


Did he do the right thing? Would androids truly be free now or did he help to make things worse? Sure, he had been part of the revolution, but the majority of his time had been spent fighting it, manipulating other androids, and ultimately leading to the deaths of some.  


“I don’t know.”  


Hank frowned, and reached across the table, placing a large hand lightly on Connors arm. "Quit doubting yourself kid. You did the right thing. We just have to figure out what’s next. And...I’m here to back you up. I’m not much of an activist these days, but I feel like this is pretty fucking important. I want to help...if I can."  


Feeling Hanks hand on him was oddly calming and his shoulders slumped. “I really appreciate that Lieutenant, no- Hank. I appreciate your friendship. And I know you’ll support me.” The pressure was still there but it lessened. “I just... I don’t want you getting hurt over this either. I won’t allow it.”  


"Eh I'll be fine, don't worry about me. I’m the one who's worried. I know you’re free and all that so I can't exactly tell you not to go anywhere without me, but...You need to be careful." His hand stayed on his arm a bit longer, gentle but firm.  


“I know. I do need you. I don’t have my gun anymore so I can’t properly protect myself.” Connor gave a smile, sad and distant. “But I’ll say it again- I won’t let you get hurt over me. Not anymore.”  


Hank smiled, but his eyes were sad. He dropped his hand back to the table. "I guess we just have to take care of each other then." He settled. It was almost ironic how Connor seemed to want to protect him, after all the ways he had passively and actively tried to kill himself before they’d met.  


“That’s a deal.” Connor offered him another smile and a nod before getting up. He took Hank’s plate wordlessly to the sink then turned to face him. Hank had seemed... sad.  


Was it not obvious that he had cared for him? He was genuine when he said it- he wouldn’t know what to do if something were to happen to Hank. He would be lost.  


Hank got up "Well uh, I guess you’ve technically been here before, but do you want the grand tour? It'll take all of five minutes, its not a big place" He poured some food in a bowl for Sumo who was KO under the kitchen table.  


“I’d really enjoy that.” He nodded and regarded Sumo with a fond look. “It’ll be nice to get an official tour this time.”  


"Yeah sorry about last time..." He said gruffly. He looked to him and then headed to the next room, motioning him to follow. "This is the living room. That’s the couch, where you can sleep...or uh, do whatever it is androids do..."  


“It looks wonderful to me. I don’t even require a couch to charge. The floor would be fine.” He sounded cheerful as he spoke and trailed along after him.  


"Don’t be ridiculous, you’re not sleeping on the floor." He scoffed and lead him to the hallway. "I think you’re pretty familiar with the restroom..."  


“Yes, I am. I remember that clearly.” His voice remained cheerful and he ducked his head into the restroom to check it out briefly.  


Hank flushed, but fought it off. He hated how vulnerable Connor had seen him that night. He lead him to the next room, the final besides a hall closet. "My room. You've been there too, rummaged through my closet..."  


“Yes, I have. I chose an outfit for you. You certainly have an interesting choice of shirts.” He stepped into the room and glanced around, surveying over the bed and glancing bemusedly to the closet. “I remember this room well too.”  


He chuckled "You talking shit about my fashion, you prick?" But his voice had a pleased lilt to it.  


His room was surprisingly tidy compared to the rest of his house. On the dresser was a picture of Cole with Sumo as a puppy, and beside it there was a dusty stuffed toy from a Ghibli movie, the character Totoro.  


Connor ignored Hank’s remark and made his way around the room, checking everything out. He had been in here before but he hadn’t been invited in. This time was different- Hank was willingly showing him a personal part of his house. Humans valued their personal spaces, especially their bedrooms, as he had come to realize, and he took great care as he strode from one side of the room to the other.  


Hank shifted a little uncertainly, crossing his arms. "So, are you analyzing me based on my room?" He wasn't sure how that made him feel, what Connor might learn about him just by looking.  


“No. I’m just looking around.” He wasn’t analyzing anything at all- he was simply curious of Hanks bedroom. His eyes glazed over the photos and he turned his attention back to Hank. “I like it. It’s very... You. Very comfortable.”  


Hank felt his face grow warm again. "Uh, thanks" He relaxed a little. "Listen Connor, I hate to do this but I need a nap before work later. Especially if I’m gonna get into it with Jeffrey again about you."  


“Oh, right.” He seemed bashful by his answer and shifted on his feet. “Well... I’ll be in the living room. Thank you again for everything, Hank. I really appreciate it. Get some rest.” He gave him a brief smile before turning on his heels and heading back into the living room.  


Hank shut the door.


	2. Blue Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> >>>>> ! TW ! Trigger Warning ! SPOILERS:: minor character deaths, 'offscreen' violence toward LGBTQ women. I did the thing, I'm so sorry.
> 
> Connor and Hank deal with a difficult case and then need to deal with feelings.

Several hours later the door slowly swung open again, and Hank sleepily headed into the kitchen, hair mussed up. He opened a cabinet and pulled out a glass, plopped a few ice cubes in it, then found the bottle of whiskey on the counter. The movements were fluid despite his half awake state, clearly all too familiar with the routine.

Connor had settled on the couch, laying on his side and quickly shutting down into a level of stasis. His hands were folded neatly under his head as he rested, his eyes shut with his long lashes resting against his cheek. He looked amazingly human, as if he were sleeping, dozing on the couch. His LED slowly blinked as he charged, the only sort of movement to show that he his robotic body was still functioning.

Hank drank his whiskey, strolling into the living room, and stopped to look at Connor. He watched the android, sipping. He couldn't believe how beautiful he looked, how pure...he felt compelled to touch his soft skin, his gentle eyelashes....his heart sped up.

Connor remained in stasis. He didn’t dream, he didn’t feel. The world continued on around him as his internal system regained its battery. He was vulnerable like this, his functions mostly inoperable unless he was roused into an awakened state or his body became adequately charged.

Hank let him 'sleep' longer, going back to his room with his drink to get ready for work. 

He came back out dressed and semi put together, then walked over to the android and nudged him "Hey. Connor."

Connor’s eyes flicked open and he took a sharp breath as if it were his first one. It took a few seconds for his system to boot up and he sat up while blinking a few times. “Ah, sorry Hank. I was in stasis for longer than I anticipated. Do you feel better after your nap?”

Hank nodded "Yeah. How do you feel?" He wondered if Connor just shut off completely. Did he dream?

“I’m refreshed.” Connor didn’t know how to describe it any other way. His system was energized and a quick systems check showed that everything was in working order. “Are you going straight to work?”He "Yeah and you’re coming with me aren’t you?" Hank wandered to the kitchen again, pouring another drink.He “Yes, of course.” Connor’s demeanor changed instantly and he stood, straightening his shirt and rolling down the sleeves. “Let me get my jacket and I’ll be ready to go.” 

"Hey I have tomorrow off. How do you feel about going out to get some new clothes?" Hank looked at the (now ironic) Cyberlife issued jacket.

“I don’t need new clothes, Hank. I don’t have any money for them anyways.” Connor’s eyebrows raised. “I realize my coat isn’t the most relevant apparel to have anymore but it still serves its purpose...Right?”

"Jesus Christ will you cut it out about the money already? You can pay me back later. You can't just walk around wearing some Cyberlife shit. Plus I don’t want you to paint a target on yourself" Hank took a deep drink.

Connor watched him steadily but eventually nodded. “You’re right. I feel like my coat won’t be well received at work either even though everyone already knows everything...” He trailed off. The pressure was in his chest again. Was it... fear? What would his peers think back at the force? Would the humans hate him or worse yet- try to kill him?

"Yeah probably not. Come on lets go" Hank set his empty glass down and headed out to the car. He was already trying to decide what to say to his boss, how he could explain that Connor was safe and having him on the force would benefit them. If worse came to worse, Connor would be fired. Or maybe they both would be. 

Connor thought of this as well as he got in the car and the pressure started in his chest again. A hand rose to grip the front of his own shirt. He was putting Hanks career in danger. 

“Hank... Lieutenant. What if my presence jeopardizes your job? Maybe I shouldn’t go back to the force. Maybe I should stay with Sumo.” His voice was hurried and it seemed like he was having the robot equivalent of a panic attack.

Hank looked to him in surprise. "Hey woah....calm down kid..." He grabbed Connor's hands roughly, holding them in his own. "Slow down those motors...quit worrying about me for two seconds ok? I have free will too you know...And I'll be damned if I let them throw you off the force without a fight."

Connor’s HUD flashed a warning; his fans were working in overdrive. It was similar to what had happened during past pursuits or when he got too worked up over something... He had a flashback to the time when Hank had to choose between himself and the other identical Connor model. He felt broken. A robot with anxiety.

“I know, I know. You’re perfectly capable Hank but I’m just nervous. You shouldn’t be punished because of something I did. It’s just... it’s not fair to you.”

Hank grumbled "Christ" and got out of the car in a huff. He walked around the car to Connor's side and wrenched the door open. "Look at me you plastic idiot."

Connors face was awash with confusion as he watched the older man exit the car and trudge over to his side. He had no idea what to expect and stared at Hank, confused and open-mouthed. “Hank? I...”

He crouched and grabbed Connor roughly by the front of his shirt. "You need to cut that shit out now. Whatever protectiveness you feel for me...for whatever bizarre unfounded reason...You need to accept I’ve got it for you too. We're in this together now, whatever it is. A couple of misfits. But the fact is that besides my damn dog, you’re the most important thing to me in my life right now Connor. And I’m not gonna stand by and let you get treated like a fucking disposable machine."

Connor stared hard at Hank as his internal HUD ran multiple rapid testing at once. He assessed Hank, then himself, and ran a quick systems diagnostic check to determine if everything was running correcting. Results were completely normal besides that bizarre pressure in his chest; he wanted to rip his core from his body. From Hank’s scan he could tell that his heartbeat was elevated, his blood pressure was a pinch too high, and he was upset. That much was obvious.

Connor didn’t know what to say and just stared at him with wide eyes. Every time he tried to speak his voice caught in his throat.

Connor's look of genuine uncertainty was surprising. It wasn’t often the collected android seemed so vulnerable, and those wide brown puppy eyes softened Hank almost immediately, his grip on Connor now being used to pull him into a firm hug. "I care about you. A hell of a lot more than I’m comfortable admitting. And I want you to care about yourself."

This was the second time he had ever received a hug in his life, both times with Hank, and this one was different than the first. The contact was closer, his head colliding with Hanks chest, and his face pressing into the fabric of his coat. Hanks words sunk into the very core of his memory and swam there, leaving some sort of powerful effect that made his thirium pump wildly through his artificial veins. His hands rose and he gripped at the sides of his coat tightly in an attempt at returning the hug; it was more desperate than the previous days embrace, as though he didn’t want to let go.

“Hank. I’m trying to care about myself. It’s... hard. I used to think I was replaceable and that another Connor, another version of myself, would take my place. I don’t think that’s true anymore.” His voice was shaky. “But that’s also why I care about you too- you’re not replaceable either. You’re a human. There’s no other Hank after you.”

Hank chuckled, but it was choked, and he felt his eyes mist. "Right so...I guess that’s why we need to protect each other. So neither of us gets ourselves killed..." He petted Connors back gently as he held him.

He suddenly realized how hypocritical it was of him to ask Connor to care about himself when he had been so close to suicide, and his chest ached. For some reason...Connor cared about him. And that meant that now he had a duty to him. In a way it was a purpose: live for Connor.

Connor wished he could feel the warmth of the hug or textures of the coat against his face but all he felt was pressure. The hand on his back was heavy but he couldn’t really ‘feel’ it. He could analyze and calculate and pull up information in seconds but he truly ached for that human interaction. His system couldn’t replicate what that sensation actually felt like. “I can do that, Hank. I promise to protect you. Okay?”

"Alright then. And I promise to protect you." Hank pulled away once he was sure his eyes had cleared, but the lump in his throat still stung. He smiled a little, giving Connor's arm one last gentle squeeze.

The pressure in Connor’s chest had subsided again and his LED glowed a cool blue in the shadow of the car. “It’s a deal.” The corner of his eyes crinkled with a smile and he moved to fix the front of his shirt. “Now, shall we head to the office? It’ll be easier to face whatever happens now than to deal with it later.”

Hank nodded and stood, heading back to the driver,s seat, then slid in. They drove to the station, Hank glancing occasionally at Connor. He felt just about ready to fistfight his own boss over the android beside him, but he hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Connor remained silent throughout the drive and occasionally fiddled with the stereo. He was lost in his own thoughts and was doing some updating and research on any recent news about the uprising. He quickly became bored of this and researched other recipes to prepare for Hank in the future and what possible walking routes would be the best to take Sumo on.

When they arrived at the station Hank got out, waiting for Connor to be behind him before heading in. Connor followed after him and kept his body close behind Hanks. The station was buzzing with activity, and some people were gathered around just watching the news in awe as it played clips from the march, the standoff, and current events. But their entry did turn a few heads. Gavin shot up out of his seat like a firecracker had been lit under his ass. "What the fuck do you think youre doing here?"

Connor was unarmed but he been trained... no, had been built for hand to hand combat in case tense situations arose. He watched Gavin curiously but unsurprised as he made the first move, his jaw tense. He remained silent- it was not his place to speak, not yet.

Hank was hardly intimidated by the other man. "Sit the fuck back down and mind your own business." He barked back, keeping himself protectively in front of Connor.

"Far as I see it, it is my business if this freak is in here" Gavin sneered and stepped forward boldly. "That THING doesn’t have human emotion, doesn’t value human life, and now its won’t even obey humans."

Hank didn't budge, but he could feel his anger flaring dangerously. "If you don’t back the fuck off I'll show you just how little regard I have for your life, asshole." His voice was a dangerous snarl, and that coupled with the significant size advantage he had on Gavin made the other man cow a little, stepping back.

Connor stood beside Hank quietly, his gaze flicking slowly from him to Gavin. He had never been truly intimidated by Gavin, even when he had pressed a barrel of a gun to his head, but the way he was talking to Hank made him bristle. He didn’t like Gavin Reed- that much he knew. He was making an already tense scene worse and Connors systems told him that Hanks blood pressure was up again. 

At that moment, luckily for everyone, Jeffrey Fowler busted in. "HANK. MY OFFICE. NOW." Connor flinched in surprise.

Hank gave Gavin a final glare before walking to Jeffrey's office, pulling Connor along with him. Connor hurried along after Hank and let his eyes drop to the floor, refusing to make any more eye contact with Gavin.

Hank shut the door behind them as Jeffrey sat with a weary sigh. "Alright Hank. I’m gonna let you start. I’m dying to hear what you have to say about this."

Hank sighed. "Jeffrey keep us on the force. Both of us. You need us more than ever now and you know it"

"Jesus Christ Hank do you know how many laws the two of you broke? You assaulted an FBI agent! Im pretty sure Connor KILLED people!"

The situation in Jeffrey’s office, though less hostile, seemed more tense and Connor stood behind Hank stiffly, his hands folded in front of himself. Jeffrey had been right. By local and government standards the two of them had broken numerous laws. When the case was taken from them Connor had infiltrated FBI evidence in his search for answers. He went against his mission, his sole purpose of why he had been created, and became a deviant. He had... definitely hurt some people. Humans and androids alike. He wasn’t proud of that.

"Jeffrey you and I both know that sometimes the right thing isn't the legal thing. I know you’re a stickler for rules, but that’s why you keep me around, isn't it?" Hank replied calmly.

"I keep you around because you were a damn good cop, Hank. And you were my friend."

Hank frowned, stung by the tense of ‘were’. "Jeffrey, gives us a chance. With everything going on, you need an android on this force."

Jeffrey steepled his fingers in front of his face, and looked to Connor. "I want to hear from you. What are you thinking, Connor?"

Connor had listened to them intently and perked up when he was addressed, his back and shoulders straightening. “I... I agree with Hank. I think that with everything going on, having an android on the force would be wise. It would.... Raise the morale of other androids out there. Those that are still scared of humans. The police, detectives, investigators... they’re supposed to protect, right? I think that’s something the androids need- another android, or someone, they can relate to.” He paused and shifted on his feet. “I realize I’ve done a lot of unlawful things as of recent. I’ve hurt the forces reputation. If you’d give me a chance, I’d like to make it up to you. In any case- Hank shouldn’t be penalized for my actions. Please reconsider.”

Jeffrey watched him carefully, then looked back to Hank. "Have I ever told you that you’re exhausting? One minute you hate androids, the next you’re best friends with one. Now listen up: I’m not doing this to satisfy whatever need you may have for a fun buddy cop lifestyle with your new friend. I’m doing this because I know you’re a good man, and I need help right now. But one screw up, and you’re both out. And the android is your responsibility. He doesn't go anywhere on the field without you, is that clear?"

Hank looked shocked, brows raising, and nodded. "Of course, yeah."

Jeffrey turned back to Connor. "And you...I don't know if I trust your kind just yet. But I’m willing to give you a chance, because if you really do have feelings like us, then you deserve rights. But if I think for even a second you’re going Terminator on anyone, you won’t get fired. You’ll get taken out. Clear?"

Connor listened as intently as he could until he heard the verdict- he was absolutely stunned. His hands balled into fists against his legs and he swore he could feel the thirium pumping in his ears. “That’s understood, sir. Thank you. I really do appreciate this.”

Hank smiled genuinely "You won't regret this Jeffrey, I promise."

"Yeah I fucking hope not." The captain grumbled. "Now get the fuck out before I change my mind. Your assignment will get sent to you in a bit."

Hank nodded and headed out.

Connor turned on his feet and strode out after him, his body brushing against Hanks as he went. Things had went better than he could have imagined. He had his old job back... He had a purpose. Depending on whatever kind of android laws came out he could get compensation for his work. He could pay back Hank for everything he had done for him, maybe buy Sumo a new collar, and buy himself new clothes. His systems were thrumming as he looked over at Hank, a smile playing on his lips. “That went well.”

"Didn't even have to punch anyone." He smirked at him. He walked to his desk, past a stunned looking Gavin who stiffened at the sight of Connor. 

"...fuckin android...." He grumbled.

Connor regarded Gavin with a nod of the head before returning to his own desk, sitting across from Hank. He smoothed his hands over the surface, over the keyboard, before finally resting his hands in his lap. Sitting here seemed right, ‘felt’ at home, and he was thrilled. Nothing had changed and everything was here waiting for him as it had been.

Hank looked up at him with gentle eyes from behind the screen. "Told you we'd figure this out."

“Yeah. You were right.” His voice came out soft and he leaned back against his hair heavily. “I... I can’t believe it. I figured they would have me escorted out. Or... worse.”

"I sure as hell wouldn't let that happen." He mumbled, getting to work on his computer.

Connor watched him for a moment, seeming touched by his words, and let his hands glide over the computer keys.

Hank paused in his typing, eyes travelling over the board in front of him covered in old “Anti Android” stickers. He took a few moments to peel each one off.

A few minutes later he got an email. "Looks like Jeffrey has a job for us..." His eyes travelled the screen and his face tightened, brows creasing. "Christ...Connor are you okay with this? Its...not gonna be pretty." The assignment was to begin logging all crimes against androids reported in the area. He hated making Connor face the violence against his people so directly, and his stomach knotted.

“It’s not something that will bother me too much, Lieutenant.” Even as Connor spoke, his eyebrows drew together and he worked on printing the necessary paperwork out for the task. Of course he would be assigned something like this; he wondered if it was a test of will against him from Fowler, or if that’s what the majority of the cases they had at the moment were like. Either way he would get the job done to the best of his ability. “Let’s just get out there and do it.”

Hank nodded but he didn't really believe Connor. He had seen how shaken the hung android that morning had made him. He stood "This is a good start to helping the cause though. Maybe we can punish some of the bastards doing this."

“Good point.” He turned his computer off, stood, and pushed his chair in neatly. “Where should we start?” He felt helpless knowing he still didn’t have a gun, but knew it was for the best. He couldn’t be trusted in the force with that responsibility yet.

"Ive got an address, lets go." Hank replied, before heading out. He wondered if he should be worried, but he was content just to have Connor behind him.

They got back in the car once more and headed to the scene, Connor silent and deep in thought.

They arrived to find an android that was slumped against a storefront, badly beaten and dismembered. Hank walked up to it slowly, frowning, and glanced at Connor. Blue blood trickled down the sidewalk, though Hank couldn’t see it. There were a few concerned bystanders nearby, luckily all of which seemed upset about the murder.

Connor regarded the android quickly and crouched in front of it, his face solemn and his expression unreadable. He reached out to touch its face then dipped his fingers in the trail of blood to sample it. Every time they had stumbled upon an android before felt different to this moment. This wasn’t just a dead android. This was a blatant murder. He brought the blood to his mouth and was immediately made aware of the make, model, and owner of the android. Who he had been and what he had been called. Connors chest tightened again. “He’s been inactive since yesterday. This isn’t fresh.”

Hank's chest tightened as he watched Connor, only glancing away as he licked the blood, unsure if it was simply disgust or something a little weirder that made him do so. He pushed that thought out, this was too solemn an event to get weird. Instead he looked around for any other evidence. "Seems like it was a group."

“His thirium pump seems to have been nearly crushed. He took a few solid blows to his chest.” He presses a hand to the android’s mangled shirt where his artificial akin had been stripped away to show battered metal soaked with blue. “It seems one of his limbs was removed while he was still active. The wires are frayed here.” He gently prodded at the androids right shoulder, his voice going quiet.

Hank sighed sadly "Fuck. What a mess...well, log what you can. We may need it later. I hope we do...I hope we can charge these bastards with something."

“Me too, Lieutenant.” He stood and stepped away from the android to give it a last look over. His perspective had changed. It wasn’t just an android- it was a body. Probably someone with opinions and personality and... maybe a semblance of feelings.

"Come on. Lets move on. A team will come to clean it up--- h-him. Clean him up." Hank frowned, catching himself. It was strange how even language had been used to dehumanize androids. He headed back to the car.

“Yeah.” Connor noticed the slip up and it made him feel... Something. Was it sadness? At least Hank was trying.

He followed him back to the car, his LED spinning a yellow momentarily as he catalogued the information into his memory. “I think we’re going to be seeing many of these events happening in the coming days, Lieutenant.”

Hank gripped the steering wheel, white knuckled. He knew it was true, but he didn't want to hear it. He looked up the next case and headed there in silence.

A quick glance to Hank’s hands confirmed to Connor that he was upset. He gave the quietest of sighs. He didn’t speak, didn’t move, even as they pulled away from the crime scene.

They pulled up several moments later to an alley and Hank got out, heading toward the two android bodies that lay there, but he froze several feet away, heart nearly stopping.

A pretty brown haired female lay on the ground, a bullet hole in her forehead. Just close enough to grip her fingers lay a blue haired female, blue drag marks on the pavement beneath her from where she had crawled to her fallen lover.

Connor didn’t immediately recognize the two, his eyes scanning over their forms, but when he did, his body went stiff. The two girls. The ones he had spared.

The pressure in his chest started again and overwhelmed him and before he realized it he had stumbled, a hand against the closest brick wall. There was a buzzing in his ears, in his head, accompanied by pricks of pressure behind his eyes. “H-Hank, these... The girls...”

Hank seemed pretty struck as well, backing away to lean against the building closest to him "Fuck..." He felt a tightening in his throat, and his heart raced. He wasn’t even sure which emotion was winning, anger or anguish, but he got his answer when his body compelled him forward, slamming his fist into the side of the nearest dumpster with an echoing crash. 

"Fuck!....Why!?" He snarled.

The buzzing in Connor seemed to get worse and he cupped a hand to his forehead. His body wasn’t functioning normally- something was wrong. But once again an assessment proved his system to be in working over. He grit his teeth and pushed away from the wall to walk over to the two androids with heavy steps. He still had a job to do.

He knelt next to the brown haired one and touched his fingers to the blood by her forehead, then to his lips. All at once information washed over him, doing nothing to cease the buzzing in his head.

Hank couldn’t even look at the girls, and instead he stormed off back to the car, giving that a good punch as well with his already bleeding fist.

Connor didn’t watch Hank as he went, and instead moved onto the blue haired girl, sampling her blood too. She had been murdered similarly, a few bullet holes to the stomach, and had died before she could crawl back to her lover. Connor unwillingly played the scene over in his head, his eyes locked on the two bodies, and wished that wasn’t a function that was programmed into him. He quickly catalogued that into his memory as well and stood, stumbling for a moment, before returning to the car with a hand to his head.

Hank sat inside like a statue, eyes on the steering wheel in front of him. His bloodied hand throbbed, but the pain was keeping him from tearing up over the women, so it was welcome.

Connor slid into the seat heavily beside him and reached over with his free hand to touch Hank gingerly on the arm. “Ha-Lieutenant. You’re bleeding. I’ve gotten the information we need. Let’s... Let’s find somewhere to wrap your hand.”

"I'm fine" He snapped, starting the car, but his heart was still pounding.

Connor watched him worriedly but leaned back into the seat. He took a few steady breaths until the buzzing subsided and returned his hands into his lap; they were trembling even as his held his palms to his thighs.

Hank drove in silence for a few minutes but then pulled over and stopped the car. He stared out the windshield as he spoke. "Were they really in love Connor? I mean, I know now androids can feel...but can they love?" His voice was shockingly quiet, strained, and he didn't let Connor speak before he continued. "I saw Markus kissing his girl on the news..."

“I...” Connor started and stopped, his eyes set straight ahead. It had started to lightly snow out again. “Androids must be capable, yes. Maybe it wasn’t love as humans conventionally see it but it was... It was something like that.” He was conflicted as he spoke and looked down at his lap. “I don’t know, Lieutenant.”

Hank was quiet again, and didn't even have the strength to be ashamed anymore when a few tears escaped his eyes. At least Connor was the only one who'd see, and who would he tell? He felt hollow inside again, an old, familiar feeling. It had nearly dissipated while he was out gallivanting with his android pal, but now it was creeping back. What was the point? Of any of it? He leaned over Connor, wrenching his glove compartment open and pulling out the flask he kept there.

Connor looked up at him in surprise, his eyes wide. Hank... Hank was crying? He didn’t know how to communicate compassion to the other man or what his limits were; he didn’t want to overstep his boundaries. He watched him reach for the flask then reached out without considering the circumstances. He pulled the other man close in an awkward hug, half trying to distract him from the alcohol and half trying to console him.

Up until that moment, it had been Hank who had always initiated physical contact with Connor, and this hug caught him so offguard he dropped the flask to the car floor in surprise. Due to the position, there was little he could really do except just...be hugged.

Connor’s forehead connected with Hanks arm and he held him tight, even as the flask clattered to the bottom of the car. “I know this may be out of line professionally but... I hope you find this comforting, at the least.”

Hank blinked in surprise but stayed in Connor's arms a moment, feeling a warmth build in him, filling the hollow darkness. For the briefest moment everything felt....ok. Then he pulled away, sitting. "You made me drop my flask" He grunted, barely audible.

“Yeah, I did.” Connor’s voice had a hint of amusement to it as he reached down and plucked the flask off the ground. “I realize the situation is ideal for consuming alcohol but wait until you get home. I can’t allow you to drink and drive.”

"A-allow me?" Hank cocked a brow, somewhat bemused as he took the flask. "How do you plan on stopping me, Robocop?"

“I...” Connor blinked a few times and gave a little shrug. “I can’t do anything, I suppose. But I would still advise you not acting on it, especially since I’m with you while you’re driving. Please, Lieutenant.”

Hank’s eyes narrowed. Cheeky prick, using his care for him to manipulate him. He groaned and dropped the flask on Connor's lap. "Fine."

Connor smiled again and took the flask, tucking it away into his coat. He had successfully distracted Hank for the time being and was rather pleased at himself for it. Plus they were still on thin ice with the force- if Hank was caught drinking on the job he could risk his career again. 


	3. Casual Clothes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some angst, some fluff, and an awkwardly cute shopping trip.

The partners worked on a few more cases that day, but Hank seemed distant and a bit sad. It was clear he was really fucked up over the girls from Eden, and he didn't talk much. Once they got off the clock, he looked to Connor. "Ready to go?"

Connor could tell that the case had really taken a toll on Hank and he tried his best to cheer him up, occasionally touching his arm or turning on a song that he knew he liked. He eventually gave up and continued with the work at hand, taking samples, memorizing information, and assessing situations. He seemed almost relieved when they were finally done and breathed a quiet sigh. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

"Normally I'd be heading to the bar now" Hank said as they walked out to the car. He glanced at Connor, wondering what his reaction would be.

Connor hummed at his reaction and gave a little shrug. He wasn’t surprised. “I don’t condone you going to the bar but if you must then I’ll accompany you.” At least they were off the clock by now and Hank couldn’t get reprimanded in that sense. “Aren’t you tired, Lieutenant?”

"There's no androids allowed in Jimmy's" Hank smirked. "I know you ignored that before but..." He slid into the car.

“Then I guess our only option is to head home considering Fowler told you this morning to ‘not let me out of your sight’.” Connor’s voice was oddly chipper as he got in the passenger seat and neatly buckled up.

"You think you’re gonna come into my life and just completely upend it?” Hank scowled but it was forced, and the fact was he knew it had already happened.

“You’re the one who allowed me to stay at your place, Lieutenant. If you wanted me to go I could still leave... You’d be going against Fowler’s orders, however.” That humor was still laced in Connor’s voice and his eyes crinkled as he smiled- something not forced, but true and genuine.

"Guess you got me. Now i'm stuck with you..." Hank drove to his house and got out, welcomed by Sumo's howling.

Connor smiled and hummed his agreement. He was pleased to hear Sumo howling from inside when they reached Hanks house and he strode up to the door. “It seems Sumo missed you. Maybe we should take him on a walk?”

Hank groaned again as he unlocked the door. "Are you trying out to be my personal trainer, kid?" He hung his coat up sloppily. Sumo jumped at them and lapped and whined.

“No, Lieutenant. I just figured that while I was here I would offer some helpful services to you in exchange for letting me stay.” Connor gave Sumo a gentle scratch behind the ears and sidestepped to fix Hank’s coat, hanging it up neatly. He paused, his LED swirling yellow for a moment, then hung his own Cyberlife coat up beside it.

Hank walked into the kitchen. "I need a drink then I can take you for a walk." Whether he was talking to Sumo or Connor was unclear. He poured a whiskey on the rocks. It was his nightly routine to drink until he passed out, occasionally while playing a nice game of Russian Roulette. Somehow he still hadn’t died, despite his best efforts.

“Okay.” Connor called to him cheerfully and returned back to Sumo, leaning down to scratch at his ears. Humans were such social creatures... He couldn’t imagine how lonely it must have been for Hank to come home every night by himself. Just him and his drink; at least he had Sumo. He sat there idly for a minute, doting on the dog as his processors went to work. 

Despite considering Hank his closest (and only) friend, he didn’t actually know that much about him and that thought struck him as sad. The pressure- no, anxiety- returned to his chest again and he couldn’t figure out why.

Hank drank the entire glass quickly, and strongly considered pouring a second. He glanced back to Connor and Sumo in the hall and his heart stammered again. He put the bottle down. "Alright lets go before I change my damn mind."

Connor was clearly pleased as he saw Hank approach and stood. A quick scan alerted him to a leash which he retrieved and clipped to Sumos collar. “Hank, Sumo has gained weight. Do you exercise him frequently?”

Hank frowned and looked away guiltily. "Not as much as i should I suppose..." He pulled his coat back on.

“That’s alright.” Connor didn’t bother with his coat and offered Sumo another pat. “Maybe this walk will do you some good, right Sumo?”

Once they were outside Connor looked to Hank to help him guide the way. The whole process felt excitingly new to him. This was not something he was designed for or programmed to do. The act was mundane, domestic, but exhilarating in a way that he couldn’t describe. “Which way, Lieutenant?”

"You know, you don't have to be so damn formal..." He lead, or technically Sumo did. The dog seemed to have a predetermined path in mind, as if they used to go on a familiar and repetitive route.

“Oh, sorry. It’s habit. What would you rather I call you then?” Sumo was surprisingly strong, even to an android, and he trailed after the dog with an extended arm. He took in the scenery as they walked, noting points of interest in Hanks neighborhood.

"Just...Hank. At least while we aren’t working." He took a deep breath of the crisp air. It would be Thanksgiving soon, he figured. He wasn't even sure of the exact date. He hadn’t celebrated it since...well he hadn’t really celebrated any holidays since the accident.

Connor could tell that Hank was enjoying the walk but that something was bothering him. The anxiety rose in his chest and instead of dwelling on it, he chose to ignore the situation and let his free will subside. His processors analyzed useless information around him. They were walking an approximate 4 miles an hour. The sun would be setting in 23 minutes. A quick scan of a puddle nearby revealed it to be an old soda spill, its contents high in sugar and preservatives. Connor wondered if Hank enjoyed soda or strictly stuck to alcohol as his preferred drink.

As they walked side by side, Sumo in front, Hank's rough hand brushed against Connors'. The older man tried to pretend it hadn’t happened, embarrassed, and adjusted so they were further apart as they strolled.

Connor had been so lost in his thoughts, his system analyzing every bit of information as it could (albeit useless), that the touch to his hand came as a shock. He scanned Hanks body without realizing it or meaning to. His temperature was elevated slightly due to alcohol, presumably. His heart rate was elevated from the excursion. But what shocked Connor the most was that he didn’t just register the weight of the hand against him... He actually felt it. The warmth, the unintentional drag of fingers against his artificial skin, sent a wave of shock through his arm. His LED fluttered yellow for a moment and he ran a precautionary diagnostics check. What had happened then? Was it just surprise?

They headed back to the house now, which was good. The temperature was dropping, and although Hank didn't feel it much, he still didn’t feel like risking catching a cold. He glanced over at Connor, wondering if he felt it in any way. Sumo tugged them to the front door, tail wagging.

Connor had been quiet the rest of the walk as he thought to himself and analyzed his systems. Everything, per usual, was in working order as confirmed by a thorough diagnostics check. No more anxiety or buzzing in his head. He led Sumo in and gave his head a fond pat as he unclipped his lead.

Hank tossed his coat on a bench in the hallway, unable to give a semblance of a shit, and kicked off his shoes. His body ached a bit, and he knew another drink was in order.

Connor watched him from the doorway, quiet, then went to hang up Hanks coat. He perched it neatly beside his own, and fixed the collar. He dragged his palm over it to make sure the creases were smooth, so the wrinkles wouldn’t keep. The stark difference between their coats made him smile; for one, Hanks coat was covered in dog hair. Second, his coat was much larger than Connors.

Hank walked into the kitchen and poured a glass, then went and sat on his couch. Sumo bounded over and tried to climb onto him, eliciting a lot of scowls and curses.

Connor disconnected himself from the coat and paced the hall for a moment, seeming unsure of what to do. He couldn’t drink with Hank as he didn’t have the capability to do so. Watching TV was pointless as he could access any of that information easily through his own internal programming. So, instead, he just decided to go and join him, sitting on the opposite end of the couch from where Hank was perched.

Hank fluffed and petted Sumos hair as the dog sprawled across his lap. He looked to Connor, sipping his glass. "Sorry i’m...not very exciting."

“I think you’re plenty exciting, Hank. Being here, sitting with you... That’s enough for me.” Connor looked over to him, his words truthful. Before, after every shift at the force he would return to Cyberlife to recharge. It was monotonous, mundane, and a necessity to his body working correctly. This was a welcome change.

Hank chuckled, swirling the ice in his glass. "I’m probably the most sad, boring old man in Detroit, but whatever you say." It was literally impossible for him to believe he was more interesting than Markus or the other members of Jericho. The fact Connor was CHOOSING to stay with him for some reason, confounded him.

A quick moment of thought had Connor shaking his head. “That’s not true at all Lieu- Hank. I find you quite interesting.” His voice was cheerful and honest. He watched the ice clink together in his cup. Hank was his friend- right? So why wouldn’t he want to spend time with him?

Hank watched him a moment, his face seeming to soften, then he looked away. "I'm sorry you had to see that today. Jeffrey should have taken it easier on you..."

Connor watched him curiously and smoothed a hand over Sumos haunch gently. Hank’s apology confused him a little, but the event had admittedly shaken him up. Instead, he lied about it. “It’s okay, Hank. It didn’t... Bother me too much.” It was just work to him. Analyzing, transferring, monitoring data. But the visions of the androids- the two girls- stuck with him as though it was etched into his memory. “I’m sorry you had to see it too. You seemed very upset about it.”

Hank could feel his face warm but he didn't feel the need to lie and deflect on this one. "Those girls deserved better. They deserved to be happy." He pet Sumo, who snored gently, absentmindedly.

Connor's response echoed in his brain. Didn’t bother him?....He thought...he hoped the android was lying, and that thought sent a spike of aggravation through him.

“I agree. They seemed happy together.” Connor recounted the time back in his memory when he had let the girls go. They had ran off, hand in hand, and Connor had never expected to see them again. Now the image of them inactive, bloodied and lying in the cement, completely eclipsed any other view he had. His memory was built in such a way that memories deemed inferior were pushed away, and he hated it.

"But it didnt bother you, right?" Hank asked dryly, looking over to him once more. He felt compelled to push Connor, get him to admit to the emotions he knew were there. He had already managed to do it a few times, and he craved to see more humanity out of the stoic android.

Connor took what he said carefully into his system and processed it. The image of the two androids flashed through his memory and he could feel two forces battling inside of himself for what to feel. The uncorrupted, normal side of himself wanted to answer logically. They were just androids and it was just another case. But the broken, deviant part of him persisted and pushed through with a wave of anxiety. “Hank, I... I felt sad about it.”

Hank seemed glad about the response, but still unsatisfied. "Why?" Hank pushed, watching him carefully.

Connor was uncomfortable and his hands balled against his lap. “Why are you asking me this, Hank?” His LED was a whirl of yellow and he sounded almost frustrated. His head was buzzing again. “I... We had let them go. They were free to live their lives together and they were killed. It was sad. It is sad. They probably didn’t want to die.”

Did androids even truly die, though? Did he have a consciousness to begin with? A soul?

"Im asking you this because I want to know how you feel Connor. I want to...understand it. And maybe even more fuckin important, I want YOU to think about it. I want you to think about what it is that makes you deviant." Sumo woke and his ears drooped, feeling the tension. He gave a soft whine and sat up, padding across the couch to Connor as if to comfort him.

“Yeah.” Connor felt small as he spoke and even smaller as the big dog shuffled closer to him. He buried his fingers in Sumos thick fur. “It’s hard, Hank. It’s like there’s two parts of me, of whatever my consciousness is, trying to fight over my system for control. My processors get overwhelmed and even though I’ve run multiple diagnostics checks, nothing appears to be defective.” The buzzing was loud and he squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to block it out. It didn’t work.

"It’s not a defect you idiot, you’re just having emotions! Now quit burying them or you’re going to explode. Maybe even literally who knows."

Sumo licked Connors face, slobbering a bit.

Connor watched Hank for a moment then buried his face into the soft fur on Sumos neck. His arms moved to wrap around the dog in a gentle hug and he heaved a deep sigh that resembled an exhausted sob more than anything.

Hank sighed. "Connor, I know you have feelings. If you didn’t..." He took a deep drink of his whiskey.

“I do have feelings, Hank. I just don’t know how to deal with them.” His voice was muffled against Sumo’s fur but he couldn’t open his eyes or move otherwise; the static in his head was too much.

Hank stood up, setting his glass down on the table, and walked over to Connor. He reached out almost tentatively, and ruffled his hair tenderly.

All at once the static in Connor’s head stopped the second Hank touched his hair. A wave of something washed over him... Relief? Comfort? He lifted his head to look up at the other man, his eyebrows raised slightly.

Hank didn't pull his hand away, fingers slipping through Connors hair. It felt so real...maybe just a little too soft. Too perfect, just like the rest of him. "I’m a terrible person to teach you how to deal with feelings..." He said softly.

“That’s not true, Hank. You’ve had to deal with a lot of things in your life. I...” He trailed off and let his hands slip into Sumo’s fur again. “Having feelings isn’t easy. I don’t understand how humans deal with them.”

"Sometimes we do everything we can not to." He mumbled, hand slipping out of Connors hair.

Connor felt loss when Hanks hand slipped away and his shoulders slumped slightly. He then felt sadness at the implications in Hanks voice and slowly loosened his arms from around the big dog. The buzzing was back, albeit duller, and he rose a hand to rub over his eyes slowly.

"Please just...I’m a train wreck Connor. But Christ I care about you. I just...want you to be alright. I want you to talk about what you’re feeling...who knows maybe even I will, if you’d even want to hear it..." He reddened a little, looking away. He longed to touch Connor again, stroke his soft hair or his even more devastatingly soft skin. To hug and hold him…

Connor observed Hank more closely and the subtle changes that swept over his features. His cheeks were red due to an emotional response, or ‘blushing, and he was looking away. Hank was embarrassed. “I want you to tell me what you’re feeling, Hank. Something is upsetting you.”

"Nothing's upsetting me. Im fine." He sighed and headed to the kitchen, pouring another drink. He could tell he was already drunk, but once he started it was so hard to stop. His weak drunk mind was really allowing those ridiculous intrusive thoughts in. Touching Connor's skin?? What the fuck? Where did that come from...He shook his shaggy head as if to manually clear it.

Connor couldn’t hide his disappointment as Hank walked off and he looked down. He supposed that he and Hank weren’t quite on that level yet with each other and he fought to push away the intruding sadness that threatened to fill his head with buzzing again. Instead he let his programming side take over and scanned the couch. Dog hair. An old spill, whiskey, a cheap bottle. He was willing to do anything to try and ignore his feelings, he decided. He hated them.

Hank downed his third glass, and sat heavily on a chair in his kitchen. He rummaged through his pocket, finding his wallet, and pulled out the picture he kept hidden in the back. Cole was smiling, wearing a paper hat he'd made himself, for preschool picture day. He wished that, looking at the pictures, he could remember the happy times. But all he ever felt was how much he wished it had been him who'd died that day.

Connor further scanned the whiskey stain and determined where Hank probably purchased it. There was a liquor store approximately three quarters of a mile away. Besides liquor, the store also sold groceries and tobacco. He continued to sit, body planted on the couch, as he let the analyzations take over. As long as he wasn’t feeling, there was no pressure or buzzing or pain.

Hank said nothing as he stood, and headed off to bed, shoving the picture back in his wallet. He figured Connor would be fine.

Eventually Connor entered a stasis as his body recognized the calculations as impractical and put him on an automatic standby mode, just as it did at Cyberlife. His eyes slid shut and he fell ‘asleep’, body upright and his LED slowly fading to a gradual yellow that pulsed in and out. 

\---------------------------------- 

The next day Hank finally rolled out of bed around 11 and staggered to the bathroom. He looked rough, hair a mess, in only boxers.

Connor hadn’t moved from his position on the couch, his LED still blinking slowly. He didn’t dream, didn’t feel, and for one reason or another, his system didn’t automatically reboot itself when it was fully charged.

Hank trailed out of the bathroom and saw Connor, remembering he was there. He pulled on a bathrobe, embarrassed, and walked over, giving him a light tap.

Connor’s body quickly reacted to the nudge but it was not a gentle awakening process like it had been the day before. His eyes shot open and he gave a gasp as if he was surprised. His LED blinked red for a few seconds and when he looked at Hank, he didn’t seem to immediately recognize him. His system eventually evened out and the LED cycled back to a cool blue as his senses returned to him. He wasn’t fully aware of what that was about and felt his hands shaking.

“Good morning, Hank.”

Hank frowned, looking immediately more awake and concerned, and placed a firm hand on Connors arm "Christ are you ok?"

“I... I think so.” Connor nodded and put a hand to his head again. The buzzing was back but he felt otherwise fine... What had happened last night? He remembered sitting on the couch with Hank but beyond that was completely blank. This had to be wrong- Cyberlife designed his model with the most advanced, state of the art memory. It was crucial to the line of work he was created for. “I think there might be a problem with my memory.”

Hank frowned "What do you mean?" He asked gently, crouching so they were face to face. He was concerned now. Maybe there really was something wrong with him. And if there was...what would he do?

“I don’t know.” Connor’s eyebrows creased as he thought. “I don’t remember much of the previous night. This is bizarre. Diagnostics proved my system to be in working order.”

"What do you remember?" Hank asked softly. He rubbed his arm gently, trying to comfort him.

The touches against Connor’s arm relieved the buzzing in his head and he found himself wanting more of it. When he spoke his voice was spacey. “We took Sumo for a walk... We were walking 4 miles per hour.”

"Christ...you don’t remember the talk we had?" Hank sighed sadly.

Connor stared at him blankly and the memories started slowly trickling back. “You were upset with me. Something was bothering you.” He locked eyes with Hank, his LED spinning a slow yellow.

"...I’m sorry Connor. I’m not upset with you..." Hank’s hand slipped down Connors arm and rested over his hand. "I didn’t mean to upset you."

Hank’s hand over Connor’s own sent that weird pressure through his body again. The robotic side of him was pushed away and his consciousness took over again; he willed himself to turn his hand over and take Hanks in his own. He could feel the warmth of Hanks skin against his artificial plastic and it calmed him, made the buzzing stop, made his LED glow a brilliant blue.

"You alright kid?" Hank watched him with gentle eyes, guilty he had overwhelmed him so. Connor’s hand was so soft under his, and actually warm. So much like a human...he didn't pull away.

“Yeah. Yeah.” Connor’s fingers closed around his hand for a long few seconds until he realized what he was doing. His hand slipped slowly from Hanks, his fingertips brushing over his palm as he went. “I’m okay now.”

"Right...good..." Hank pulled his hand away. "Well um...I'm going to go get dressed..." His light eyes met the androids deep browns again, but he couldn't hold them, looking away.

“Okay, Hank.” Connor watched him go and realized that he felt substantially better. The fog in his head was gone and the depth of their conversation was beginning to come back to him in bits and pieces. He stood stiffly from the couch and went to retrieve his coat, brushing the dog hair from his pants as he went.

Hank came out a few minutes later. He was dressed pretty casually today, settled on a DPD sweatshirt with his hair tied back messily again. "We're going to get you some new, non-Cyberlife clothes. You ready?"

Connor did a quick scan of Hank and noticed the change in outfit and hairstyle. Humans mutually wearing casual clothes meant they were comfortable with themselves and each other and Connor could feel the thirium thrumming in his ears. “I don’t require new clothes, as you know, but I would appreciate it.” He figured that his old clothes would maybe inhibit his new, budding personality, and new ones label him less blatantly as an android in public.

"How bout accepting it for me? Because I don't want you wearing that garbage around me." 

Connor’s lips slid into a smile and he nodded. “Of course, Hank.” He gave Sumo a gentle pat on the head and followed Hank out.

They drove to a pretty general needs clothes store, one where Hank picked up most of his things. 

"I can’t wait to see what weird shit you pick out" Hank said with a smirk as he got out.

“‘Weird shit?’” Connor questioned him as they walked in, and did a quick scan of the area. Nothing interesting to report. “Are you insulting my sense of fashion, Hank? I could easily access the latest trends and find out what is ‘fashionable’. Perhaps you could learn a thing or two as well.”

Hank’s brows raised, but he was thrilled at the sass. "Fuck you. People love my shirts."

A smile curled over Connors lips and he decided not to add any additional comment as they walked into the clothing store. Another scan revealed there to be no danger or evidence to any current cases and he relaxed considerably.

"You should get work clothes, and casual clothes. Do you need socks and underwear and shit? Do androids wear underwear...?" Hank walked down the aisles, looking around. 

“I do wear underwear.” Connor chimed in and followed him. “I was designed to completely replicate a human from my clothes to my anatomy. My undergarments weren’t made to be extraordinary, however, unlike some other models.” He paused in the underwear aisle. “I was provided with a pair of black briefs. They’re rather unremarkable.”

Hank stumbled a little, feeling his cheeks grow warm. It was utterly impossible for him not to imagine Connor in nothing but a tight pair of briefs, and his heart sped up...and...did he say he was anatomically accurate??? What the fuck was Cyberlife getting at? Why would a robocop need a cock anyway? He tried to focus on clothes, and on putting his mental image of Connor back into them.

Connor glanced over at Hank as he sifted through a pair of modest looking underwear. Another quick scan revealed that the Lieutenant was exhibiting some unusual physical changes and although curious, he decided not to comment on it.

Hank looked through clothes, desperately trying not to feel as dirty as he did. He was feeling warm, and his heart was still a bit off. "See anything you're interested in?" He couldn't look at the android as he asked.

Connor picked out a pair that looked exactly like his own, made a face, then put it back. “Perhaps my sense of fashion isn’t my strongest suit. Which do you think would suit me, Hank?”

"NOPE. NO, thank you, I sure as shit ain't picking out your underwear for you. That's uh...that's a personal...that's a thing you do yourself...or maybe someone who's...look just pick out your own." Hank stammered nervously, feeling frazzled.

“I see. Thank you for your input.” It was clear that Hank would be no help in helping him choose and he decided on a deep blue pair of boxer briefs. “I like these.”

Hank glanced over at them "Those are um....fine." He still couldn't meet Connors eyes. He decided to grab a bag of boxers while he was there to distract himself.

Blinking, Connor watched him for a moment before turning and heading for the socks. Something was bothering Hank but he wouldn’t make the mistake of asking him about it again. He picked out a bag of socks similar to his own then started wandering to the other clothing starting with pants.

Hank followed close to Connor, not letting him out of his sight. He grabbed a couple of things as well. Connor ended up picking out clothes that looked similar to the ones he already had. Black slacks, a dark grey button up, and a striped tie. “What about these, Hank?”

"They're alright. Not too far out of your comfort zone though. Can you feel the fabric?" Hank asked curiously. He had finally calmed himself a bit.

Connor smoothed his hands over the fabric of the shirt, his thumb and forefinger stroking the collar. “It’s made of broadcloth. It’s... it’s crisp. Thin and... smooth?” He questioned the last bit. “Nothing like a cotton blend.”

Hank nodded, watching him. "There’s a lot of different fabrics, and they all have different textures. Some might feel better to you than others, you should try to keep that in mind." He watched Connors' slender fingers travel over the cloth.

“I see.” Connor touched one of the buttons on the lapel. “It’s hard to concentrate between feeling and analyzing things. My components are constantly at war with each other.”

"Guess you have to work on it" Hank chuckled. "What about appearance. You clearly have opinions on that..."

“Appearance? What do you mean?” Connor stroked over the slacks and tried to distinguish the texture apart from the shirt but found it difficult.

"What you think looks good. I've seen you check yourself in the mirror. And you think my shirts are dumb. So what do you think is good looking?"

“In myself or... Other people?” Connor paused and looked up at Hank with a quirked eyebrow.

"I...well I meant...yourself. I mean unless you’re talking about buying a something for someone else..." Hank was confused. He knew that Connor was just as likely as the other androids to feel attraction, maybe even romance, but as far as what he was into...he assumed something like the Traci's?

“I...” Connor seemed puzzled and fought for an answer. His search engine made a desperate attempt to locate popular fashion from his database in order to give an answer, but that wasn’t really his opinion. His deviant side pushed through again. “I think something comfortable would be nice. Cotton shirts. What you may call ‘sweatpants’. I like what you wear, Hank. You look nice in your casual clothes.”

A wave of embarrassment crashed over Hank again and he crossed his arms. "Christ Connor if you just want to steal my clothes we aren't going to get anywhere..." But the idea of Connor literally doing that made his heart twist again. Why the fuck was this happening? Why had this android dug his way into Hank’s heart? He picked up a soft but cute sweater. "What about this?"

Connor immediately turned his attention to the sweater and touched it gingerly with a smile. The knit of it was soft and gave way under his touch. He figured it would suit him well in the coming winter months. “This is very nice. It has a supple weave to it.”

"I just thought it matched your damn eyes, but sure" He chuckled and moved on, looking around.

Connor paused and stuck on that thought as he tucked the sweater neatly under his arm. He hadn’t actually considered the color of his eyes before. We’re they that distinguishing of a feature? All other RK-800s had the same shade of brown eyes and his were nothing special- not two toned heterochromatic colors like Markus’ irises. This fact implied that Hank often looked at his ‘damn eyes’ and couldn’t shake the fact from his brain as he tagged along after him.

"See anything else you're interested in?" Hank browsed, seeing a couple things that he imagined in passing Connor would look nice in.

Connor was quiet as he followed but watched Hank closely. It would appear that Hank had a knack of picking out nice clothes for others more than he did for himself. The Lieutenant was eyeing some pieces over more than others and Connor took notice, drifting over to another sweater. “Something like this looks appealing to me.”

Hank looked to him and just nodded in agreement, wondering if Connor had somehow analyzed that he liked it. On the one hand he was happy to help Connor, but he also wanted him to pick out his own and not just try to...impress(?) him.

Connor tucked the sweater under his arm and turned to wander off to another section. He accessed his social database and scrolled through other styles of fashion until he found something he liked. He found a few polo shirts, comfortable but not to dressy, and added one to his collection as well.

Hank followed him, curious about his selections, and smiling a little. There was something so nice about just...being with another person. Not working, just living. It was strange but comforting.

Connor made his way to the shoes and chose a cheap pair of converse. They were simple and seemed to be well liked amongst both the young and old according to most social media platforms. Once his arms were full he took a step back and looked to Hank. “I think all of these should complete one if not a few different outfits. I... Still feel bad about not having anything of monetary value to pay you with, though.”

"Just shut up would you" Hank rolled his eyes and led him to the register. He payed for the items, while the cashier looked nervously at Connor.

Connor scanned the cashier. They had an elevated heart rate and displayed obvious signs of unease. He attempted to diffuse the situation by offering the cashier a smile and hoped Hanks social reputation wouldn’t be damaged by his presence.

The cashier looked away. Hank looked over to Connor, then nudged him to head out. He gathered up most of the bags and headed out.

Connor offered to take the bags and followed along after him. He was quiet until they got to the car and his LED cycled yellow as he sat down. “That cashier was uneasy around me.” He murmured.

"Yeah. Shit happens. Fuck her." Hank put the bags in the bag, then got in.

As crude as Hank was, his bluntness about situations made Connor feel genuinely better. “Are we heading home now, Hank? Uh, I mean, to your home?” He tacked the last part on the end and felt a weird rush of anxiety run through his body.

"You live there too. It's ours now." It felt good to say, made Hank feel like he had a family again. Made him feel less lonely.

Connor’s anxiety immediately melted away and he found himself smiling as he buckled his seatbelt. He had never considered anywhere a home before... He never really had to. Cyberlife had been the closest place to a home for him. He started to say something but trailed off and reached for the radio instead to turn on a popular rock station.

On the way home, Hank quietly sang along to the music. 

Once they arrived home, Connor offered to take the bags but didn’t put up much of a fight when Hank refused and instead just followed him in. He greeted Sumo enthusiastically and leaned down to ruffle the dogs floppy ears, then pressed a kiss to the top of the dogs nose gently.

Hank watched him, and couldn't help but smile at the kiss. He hid it quickly, trying to maintain his gruff composure. "So where do you want to keep your stuff?"

“Oh.” Connor stood after giving Sumo's head another pat and looked to his bag. “I hadn’t thought of that. I can keep them folded by the couch so they’re out of the way.”

"Well you should hang your dressy stuff up in my closet, so it doesn't get wrinkled. And you might as well keep the other stuff in one of my drawers..." Hank watched him.

Connor considered this and gave a slight nod. “I would really appreciate that, if you had the room, Hank. I just wouldn’t want to intrude on your space, especially in your bedroom...”

"It's fine, just don't snoop around too much." He led him to the bedroom and shoved stuff around, giving him his own drawer.

“I would never.” He smiled and followed after him then got to work on perfectly folding his clothes. He resisted the urge to scan the room per Hanks wishes, but was curious about his miscellaneous possessions hidden about.

Hank watched him a moment, then decided to head out to make a sandwich and decided now was as good a time as any to have a drink as well. Having Connor this intimate to his life was both unnerving and nice.

Connor took his time in folding them and closed the drawer. A moment of thought struck him and he opened the drawer again to take out the brown sweater. He shrugged his coat off and undid his shirt with slender fingers until he was completely shirtless. He started folding them too, making sure they weren’t wrinkled even as he stuck them towards the back of the drawer.

He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror as he carefully plucked the sales tags off of the sweater. Toned, smooth, and nearly hairless, he looked identical to every other Connor model out there. He was designed with detail in mind in every aspect from his nipples down to the assortment of freckles over his chest and tummy. He hated it. He was perfect and boring yet identical to hundreds of other models and not unique at all. He slipped the sweater over his head before his thoughts could turn darker and turned to head out into the living room.

Hank was busy feeding Sumo a significant amount of the sandwich he’d made himself, and looked up as Connor passed. "Oh. You're wearing it."

“I thought I would try it on. I find it quite comfortable.” Connor smiled and turned his attention to Sumo. “You said the other day that you were keeping Sumo on a diet, didn’t you? He’s nearly 8 pounds overweight for a dog of his breed and age.”

Hank grumbled and stood "Quit telling me how to raise my dog you brat." He threw out his trash, then looked him him again. "You look uh, good. By the way"

Hanks compliment made Connor smile, and he ran a hand over his chest, over the soft fabric of the sweater. “Thank you. I feel... Good, in it.” It made him feel unique, different, and like no other RK-800 out there.

Hank pulled his eyes away. "So, want to do anything else today?" He petted Sumo who slobbered happily.

“I have nothing in mind. I’d like to just spend it with you, if that’s alright.” Connor folded his hands in front of himself as he watched Hank. He knew that the other man probably had things to do or errands or maybe he just didn’t want to spend time with him and Connor understood that. The anxiety welled inside of him again and he swallowed hard.

"Maybe we should go for a walk again? For Sumo" At the word walk Sumo yelped and bounced.

“I’d like that. I think it’s slightly warmer than the other night so both you and Sumo won’t have to worry about the cold.” The temperature was 45°, partly sunny, with a light breeze. “Sumo could benefit from a walk, I think.”

Hank nodded and smiled "Yeah that sounds good." He found the leash and hooked up Sumo. "You want to take him?"

“Yes.” Connor seemed eager and took the leash from Hanks hands. His fingers brushed over his and that bizarre feeling shot up his arm again. He paused, blinking, then righted himself and headed for the door

Hank followed close behind him, grabbing his coat on the way.


	4. Hands Held

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor and Hank are reminded that not everyone approves of their friendship...which may be becoming more than just a friendship.

Nearly two weeks had passed since Connor had started staying with Hank.

Since then a lot had changed in the world regarding androids, their revolution, and their relationships with humans. Some new laws had been implemented protecting a number of android rights, and desegregating jobs and public establishments. It was now a crime to harm or kill androids, though the penalties for such an act were in limbo. Androids could hold jobs, and there had even been talk of some androids receiving a salary including the rights to backpay, of which Connor seemed thrilled. Things were still awkward within the force but Connor did his best to ignore snide comments and stayed close to Hank.Gavin had been particularly brutal in his onslaught as time progressed, being more and more aggressively shitty to Connor any time he saw him, and making a point of calling him "Anderson's Toy". 

It was obvious that Connor was vying for Hank’s attention while at home, but he did his best not too appear too clingy. Being near the other man calmed him, made him feel good, and he craved the brief moments when their skin touched. The warm feeling was like a drug and Connor couldn’t get enough; because of this, touching Hank enthralled and terrified the android. The last thing he wanted was to scare Hank away and because of this he had sometimes avoided him or become distant and depressed, letting his processors take over and going into standby mode when his feelings proved to be too much.

Hank was, conversely, extremely protective of Connor. He claimed at the station that it was on Jeffrey's orders, but it was clear he cared deeply for him, even to outside viewers. 

At home, Hank had tried to maintain his gruff facade, but it frequently crumbled, and he often found himself being downright tender to the android on the many quiet nights they were alone. Sometime they watched films, or sports, sometimes they went for walks. Sometimes Connor would cook, which Hank seemed to greatly enjoy. For a little while they were much like a family. 

Thanksgiving was creeping up, and Hank only really knew because people at the station were talking about their family gatherings.

Connor had been listening to gossip around the station about Thanksgiving and had done some research about the holiday. He didn’t quite understand the origins of it or why humans picked that day to gorge themselves on food but was interested in learning about it nonetheless. What piqued his curiosity the most was that Hank hadn’t mentioned the holiday at all. Hadn’t he planned on celebrating it? He didn’t bring up the topic but filed through miscellaneous recipes about how to best cook a turkey in the oven and saved one to his memory.

He typed away at his desk beside Hank at work, wearing one of his nice button ups and tie. Broadcloth and silk. It wasn’t the most comfortable but it was better than his Cyberlife outfit which he stopped wearing exactly 14 days ago.

Hank sat at his desk, going through some casefiles. There had been less assaults on androids lately, and public opinion seemed to be getting even more favorable. He was relieved for that. He got up, mumbling something about going to the restroom, and walked off. Gavin, as if waiting like a predator, saw his opportunity and swooped it. "Hey RK 300 or whatever your name is" He smiled, but it was venomous.

Connor didn’t look up from his keyboard and squinted at something on the screen. His reply came out smoothly and calculated. “My name is Connor. You should know this by now, considering we’ve been working together for quite a while.”

"Listen, you don't really need a name, you're a glorified computer." He rolled his eyes. "Or do you relate to a different machine or inanimate object more?"

His fingers tapped away at the keyboard but he glanced over at Gavin quickly. He otherwise ignored him, not answering the question, and easily pushed away any intrusive thoughts that threatened to work its way into his system.

"How about...a glorified sex doll? Can you relate to that?" His voice was lower now, as if well aware he was treading extremely dangerous water. He watched Connor with a smirk.

His hands paused on the keyboard for a few seconds. That struck something within him and his mind was flooded with images of the night at Eden. The two Tracis who had been killed. He took a soft breath and continued typing. “Please, I’m trying to work Detective. If you could give me space then that would be much appreciated.”

He looked as if he was about to continue but Hank was headed back and he got up and hurried off. Hank scowled "What the fuck was he doing??"

Connors shoulders sagged as though he was exhausted and his fingers finally stilled on the keyboard. “He was up to his... Usual antics.” His voice came out soft. He didn’t want to tell Hank what Gavin had said, not wanting to upset him or bring up any painful memories. “You came back just in time, Lieutenant.”

"What the fuck was that prick saying to you?" He growled, standing beside him. "I'll fucking report him to Jeffrey, better yet I beat his smug fuck face in-"

“No, Lieutenant, it’s okay.” He reached out and let his fingertips brush over one of Hanks hands gently. The warmth spread through him and made his thirium regulator pump. An automatic scan showed Hanks blood pressure rising. “It was nothing. Everything is fine.”

Connor's touch had immediately relaxed Hank. It was a trick Connor probably knew well at this point, but it still worked. He slowly sat down in his chair. "He can't get away with treating you like shit Connor. I can't allow it."

“I’ll be okay. I know what his intentions are.” Connor was relieved that Hank was calm again and leaned back in his own chair. “He wants us to fight back. If we do that, we’ll both get fired.” Or worse, Connor thought, remembering how Fowler had threatened him when he was allowed back on the force.

Hank sighed, looking down. He hated to admit it but Connor was right, and there wasn't much they could do. He went back to work, vowing not to leave the android again if he could help it. Gavin wasn't as brave when Hank was around. He knew the older man had considerably less restraint.

Connor watched him for a moment then returned to his work but his thoughts were troubled. He kept thinking of the two murdered androids, one arm outstretched to reach the other, and murdered before they could touch one last time. They loved each other. Another image flashed through his mind- this time of him and Hank in the androids positions, arm reaching out to Hanks bloodied body...

“Lieutenant. I was thinking of cooking us a turkey for thanksgiving. How does that sound?” He forced himself to speak before venturing down a dark path.

Hank’s brows knit in confusion. "...Why?" 

He assumed Connor must have heard the talk around the station as well and done some research, but why on earth would he want to celebrate it? He couldn't even eat...was he just trying to pay him back again somehow?

“I would like to try my hand at making it for you. I know you prefer to eat animal by-products for consumption and figured it would be a good excuse.” He looked up and caught his eyes, his own browns meeting Hanks icy blues.

Hank’s heart jumped as their eyes met. "Well if you want to...don't let me stop you."

It was a bizarre scenario to imagine, him and an android sharing a Thanksgiving, with only him eating. But there was something achingly sweet about it as well. Besides, Sumo would love the scraps.

Connor smiled and swiveled his chair back to his desk to face his computer. He continued to work but concentrated on the recipe he had saved for the turkey. He jotted down mental notes and cheerfully typed away, nearly forgetting about his and Gavin’s interaction.

Hank went back to work as well, but his heart felt a little lighter. That evening, when it was time for them to head out, Hank got up and stretched before grabbing his coat.

Connor straightened out his desk, say goodbye to Jeffrey as he did every night, and started to head out. He followed Hank to the car as he continued to cycle through the sides that went with a turkey during thanksgiving.

They drove home, but as they pulled up it was clear something wasn't right.

There was a spray painted message across a part of Hank’s house, red letters that said "NOT ALIVE" in messy font. Hank stopped the car, staring at it. Inside Sumo howled.

Connors body went stiff the second he saw the paint. The two parts of him fought between one another in a quick internal battle and he cycled through a series of emotions, unsure of what to feel. Fear. Uncertainty. Rage. His body seemed to settle and his LED gave off a chilling red glow in the darkness of the car as he reached for the handle to get out. He would analyze the paint, perform data projections, and let his system produce multiple scenarios regarding the actions the intruder took while committing the act. From there he could determine the point of arrival and departure depending on the state of the lawn. Did they leave behind fingerprints? He would sample the paint for freshness. After dissecting the paint to its basic components, he would visit every hardware store in a 20 mile radius. He would ask to see the cameras. He would find the suspect and personally go to their home. He would find him and hurt him until he realized the extent of the damage he did to Hanks house.

Connor exited the car and was dimly aware of feeling the thirium thrumming through his body. One of his precautionary fans kicked on and a small warning flashed over his HUD, signaling a minor system error. He ignored them completely.

Hank got out as well, following Connor quickly from behind. Whatever damage had been done to his house was far from his mind in comparison to his worry for his friend. "Connor...Connor!" 

He went to the other, seeing his LED flash dangerous red, and grabbed his arm to stop him and try to turn him around.

Connors arm wrenched from Hanks grasp as he made his way to the spray painted statement. His body was on autopilot, the mechanical side of him taking over as the processes began. His fingers dragged over the rough brick of the house; the paint was dried. This would lead to problems in the investigation.

Hank was genuinely shocked. It was the first time Connor had pulled away from him like that, the first time he could remember coldness from him since the revolution. He could tell just how wrong it was, and it made his chest tighten. He hurried after him, watching as he touched the paint. "Connor we'll figure out who did it, we'll catch the bastard...it's gonna be alright..." He tried again to touch his arm, tentatively this time.

Connor ignored him and dragged his nails over the paint in an attempt to scrape up a sample. Flecks of paint slipped onto his synthetic skin and he brought it to his mouth. Red paint, trace amounts of lead and cadmium. The particular variety was available at at least three hardware stores in the area and was relatively cheap. He stored the information in a specific folder that he labeled importantly. LED flashing crimson, he did a scan for fingerprints on the brick. 

He was... angry. His thirium boiled. He wanted to hurt.

Hank dropped his hand to his side, watching Connor. His insides felt like they were tied in knots, and he wasn't sure what to say or do. Connor seemed...dangerous. More dangerous than Hank had really thought was possible before, but he was reminded more than ever now of what Connor was truly built for. The android was smaller than him, but had so much more power that it was almost laughable to be actually confronted by it. He took a small step back instinctively.

“Lieutenant, do you mind driving me to the nearest hardware store? According to the website, it closes in approximate 15 minutes. If we get there now, I may be able to access the tapes.” 

Despite Connor’s LED his voice was surprisingly calm and he turned to look at his friend. But inside his emotions were out of control. He wished he had a gun of his own so he could go to the perps house himself.

"Connor lets do it tomorrow ok? It'll still be there then...I gotta feed Sumo..." He tried to reason with him gently, but didn't touch him again.

Something in Connor’s programming snapped. He received a warning message but his system quickly began repairing it. “Tomorrow is not an option. I would prefer to do it now.”

"Connor I don't think that's a good idea" Hank replied firmly, standing his ground. "Im not fucking taking you now"

Connor’s LED burned hot and he blinked a few times. Hanks tone had a sharp edge to it and Connors system took that as hostility. A self-defense program initiated but he shut it down immediately. His jaw tightened. “Alright, Lieutenant.” If his calculations were correct, he could run to the store and reach his destination with five minutes to spare. He turned away from Hank, his body stiff, and started to head back out towards the street.

"Connor! Connor get back here!" He growled, stomping after him. "What the fuck are you doing??"

“If I increase my pace I can reach the store before it closes.” He glanced back at him. “This isn’t acceptable, Lieutenant. The suspect needs to be caught. This is my number one priority.”

"Connor for christ sake, Im sorry some prick did this ok? But you need to calm down. I promise we will find him and arrest him for vandalism, but right now I just want a goddamn drink." He grabbed Connor's arm again, trying to stop him.

Another warning flashed in Connors HUD, prompting him to turn and deal with his attacker accordingly. He ignored it and instead looked at Hank blankly, his eyes a little glazed over. He didn’t flinch out of his grasp but stood still as a stone, staring at the other man in a confused manner.

"Just STOP." He grabbed both of his arms, holding him in front of him. "It's not true Connor. It's not true. You are alive."

Connor blinked quickly a few times as his fans worked on cooling his overheated system down. He exited and force quit programs as the mechanical part of his consciousness stuttered and fell submissive to his feelings. The rage was subsiding but anxiety was taking its place and buzzing filled his head. Hank was upset with him. He looked upset and... scared. Connor had done this and his eyes went wide at the realization. “H-Hank. I’m sorry.”

Hank breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he had finally broken through to him. "Christ kid..." He pulled him roughly into a hug, holding him tight.

That sweet, soothing feeling of comfort washed over Connor, quelling the anxiety in his chest, and he felt his body relax against Hank. He closed his eyes and curled his arms around the larger man tightly.

"You...you scared me Connor. I hated seeing you like that..." Hank rested his chin against Connors shoulder, big hands rubbing his back gently.

Connor’s hands drew into fists against Hanks shirt. He could feel his heart beating steadily, yet rapidly, close to his head. “The other side of me took over. I was... I was angry, Hank. I’m still angry. They’ve vandalized your home because of me... Because of what I am.” His LED cast a yellow glow onto Hanks coat.

"Wait you're angry because of...the damage?" Hank frowned, pulling away only enough to meet the androids soft eyes. 

“Yes. They’ve ruined your home.” Connor’s eyes seemed tired but were no longer hazy. “Considering the circumstances, there is a high chance that whoever it is will come back. In the future it could involve a home invasion, which is a risk to yours and Sumos life, which is something I will not allow.”

"Do you ever stop to think about yourself?" Hank asked gently. His hand travelled up to touch Connors face lightly.

“I...” Connor was caught off by the question and Hanks fingers on his synthetic skin. 

Transmitters registered the touch as pleasant and sent impulses through his wired nervous system. He felt warm and tilted his head into the touch. “I do. But your life is very important to me, Hank. And Sumos too.”

"Yeah well you're important to me too." Hank’s rough fingers trailed over the smooth cheek, then cupped his jawline. It was more tender, more intimate than he had been with someone in years, but it felt right, and based on the reaction, Connor was okay with it. "We'll figure it out ok? We'll be fine..."

Connor could feel every detail on Hanks hands; he wasn’t just analyzing him, but could really feel it against his skin. It was a sensation he wasn’t used to and he craved it, his face tipping further into Hanks touch. He could feel the callouses on his palms and feel his pulse throbbing underneath the surface. “You’ll let me investigate more into this, right? Not immediately but... soon.”

"Yes. As long as you promise to be careful. You tend to do dumb shit when you're on a mission." He still held Connors cheek, appreciating the softness, the warmth. As he watched him, so close, he was drawn down from Connors beautiful eyes for perhaps the first time, and landed on his lips. They looked soft too, a sweet pink, and with that resting pout to them that Hank felt powerless against.

Connor smiled at the remark and was relieved that Hank had calmed down considerably. His own LED had phased back to a soft blue which glowed dimly in the dark of the evening. He could see Hanks vision shit to his lips and pondered on that curiously. Although he could scan the other man physically and acquire information from there, he couldn’t get inside his mind and figure out what he was truly thinking. “I’ll try but I can give you any promises, Hank.”

Hank grumbled, pulling away. "That's a real shitty answer Conner. Come on, let's get inside, I’m freezing my ass off" He headed in, trying to stop thinking about his partners lips. 

Connor watched Hank head into the house for a moment before following after him. He didn’t look at the vandalism, not wanting to get that side of him going again, and slipped out of his shoes once they were in the house.

Hank went through the usual routine: he tossed his coat somewhere, knowing full well Connor would pick it up and hang it neatly. He greeted and fed Sumo, and made his drink. He then sat on the couch. Sometimes he got take out, or sometimes Connor cooked for him. He hadn't been to Jimmy's once since Connor had moved in. 

Connor, of course, picked up the coat and smoothed out the wrinkles before hanging it up. He greeted Sumo with a hearty pat, a kiss on the head, then went to join Hank on the couch. He sat down, hands in his lap, and leaned against the back cushion casually. 

Hank put on the game, watching it as he sipped his drink. He glanced at Connor, and suddenly wished the android was sitting closer to him.

Connor watched the game and quietly analyzed the outcome of it with nothing else to do. The team currently losing would lose if the defense didn’t improve, to which they had a 35% chance of doing. He quickly changed his thoughts to something else to avoid going into standby mode.

Along the bottom of the tv screen there was a little scrolling band that gives news updates. One breaking story mentioned that many android rights groups had decided to strike until the right to equal pay was achieved. Hank seemed interested.

Connor was also interested, and he scanned the bottom of the screen curiously. “That’s very bold of them and so soon over the revolution, too.” He chimed in and tapped his fingers on his leg, one of a few habits he had started to pick up. Perhaps with more money he could buy Hank some nice things. Maybe they could go on vacation together.

"Well I don't blame them. Its not fair they’re expected to be slaves...." He frowned and looked to Connor, realizing suddenly that they were using terms like 'them'. "What about you?"

“I...” Connor paused and pulled at a loose string on his shirt. “I’m very in favor of equal pay. It would be very convenient to have a livable income.” He could buy Hank some new pots and pans and get a new leash for Sumo. His current one was getting worn out from the increase of walks they were taking.

"You know you don't have to pay me back, right? Not after all the shit you do for me around here.. " He watched him. "Do you want to strike?" 

Connor ignored the first part and kept fiddling with the loose string. “If I went on strike I fear it would complicate things with my relationship in the force. As we’ve seen today there are still humans who do not take kindly to my presence there.” He ripped the string out with a jerk of his hand and pushed away the thoughts of Gavin, and the graffiti right outside.

Hank sighed, and decided to go ahead and scoot closer to Connor, taking his hand roughly. "You're probably right. But I want you to know that whatever you decide to do, Im behind you."

Connor watched Hank move closer and took his hand, his slender fingers curling against him. The sensations were back again and he could could practically feel Hanks fingerprints, he realized. “Thank you, Hank.”

Hank smiled slightly and released him, even though he felt it would have been nice to just hold his hand. He took another deep drink, turning back to the game.

Connor wanted to keep holding his hand, and before he could stop himself or override a program, he was reaching out to him. His fingers slipped back into his hold, his thumb sliding over his palm, and he gave the quietest of sighs.

Hank seemed surprised at the turn of events, looking quickly back to Connor, heart picking up slightly. Was Connor only doing it because he somehow knew Hank wanted it? Or did he actually enjoy it?

“Is this alright, Hank?” Hand holding was a sign of affection amongst humans that signified closeness between them. Although common amongst lovers, it was a motion shared between all genders and ages. After the evenings events, Connor felt like he needed it. Touching Hank brought that wave of indescribable relief and and comfort washing over him and it soothed him, much like a drug or an influx of serotonin.

"Yeah...yeah sure" Hank tried to go back to focusing on the game, and not the soft, slender fingers that shifted against his own. He hoped that Connor was ignorant to his...the best term in all embarrassing honesty was ‘crush’. He was so dreadfully fond of the android, to the extent that he wondered if he should just admit to himself it was really love. And it was hardly even the sexual brand; of course he certainly allowed dirty thoughts to creep in, and then felt searing shame over them. But more than anything he just wanted...well this. Gentle touches. Walks where they discussed cases but also what kind of dinner Connor would make. Teasing that made Hank appreciate a sparring partner on his level of sass. It all felt so domestic, so mundanely romantic. It was more than he’d ever imagined he would get.

Connor let his finger trace over the fleshy part of Hanks thumb absently as they sat there. Outside he was calm and collected, but transmitters were firing off rapidly in the core of his system. A little tingle swept down his spine with each swipe of his thumb that sent curious reactions to every part of his body. He felt warm and tired yet energized at the same time, just from the simple hand holding. And judging by the way Hanks pulse picked up, he could tell the other man was enjoying it too.

Hank couldn't help but smile a little as they sat like that for a time, and he finished his drink before slowly dozing off against the couch back. He hadn't done that either since Connor had arrived, always making it back to his bed to pass out so the android had his own space. But he was too content this time to leave.

Hank slept, mouth open slightly and the occasional snore drifting out. He looked peaceful, more relaxed than he ever did while awake, and his hand was still limply entwined with Connor's giving a subtle twitch now and then. His broad chest rose and fell steadily.

Sensing Hanks breathing slow beside him, Connors eyes swung from the tv to his snoozing form. He had never actually seen the other man in such a prone state before and was pleased at the sight. Hank looked peaceful and for a moment Connor considered moving and giving the other man space. He quickly pushed that thought away and instead took the time to observe over his facial features more closely. He took note of the wrinkles near his eyes and the waves of grayed hair that shadowed his face. His beard, flecked with hints of a darker color from his younger years, alongside pops of white that showed his age. He wanted to reach out and touch it, to experience the sensation, but quickly decided against it. Hank was grizzled yet unique, and dazzlingly handsome to Connor in ways that he couldn’t quite understand.

Connor’s gaze slipped down to his chest and down his legs. More analysis revealed Hanks height and weight, things he already know, but also included muscle mass. Although not entirely physically fit, Hank was strong under his layer of fat. A thought struck Connor- he had never seen Hank without clothing on before. He subtly slid closer to him on the couch, hand still entwined with his, until their thighs barely brushed together.

After a few hours later, Hank stirred, groaning a little before sitting up groggily, releasing Connor's hand in the process. "Shit..." He grumbled hoarsely wincing as he sat up fully. "Fuck I fell asleep..." He looked over to Connor, rubbing his eyes "Fuck Connor why didn't you wake me? I'm hogging your bed..."

Connor quickly snapped out of the headspace he had been in and blinked a few times to get his vision in working order. A quick diagnostic revealed that a few hours had passed even though it had felt like seconds. “I was quite content sitting here with you, Hank. I didn’t want to wake you up. You looked very peaceful while sleeping.”

Hank genuinely blushed, too tired and caught off guard to fight it off. "Don't be ridiculous, no one wants to sit with a snoring, drooling old man" He got up, stretching. 

Connor watched Hank get up and smiled at the hint of a blush on his cheeks. He tried to search for some sort of snarky reply, something sassy to reply with, but came up empty handed. His processors were too slow. “I did. I mean... I do. I enjoyed it.” When Hank stretched his shirt had exposed the tiniest sliver of his skin right by his hip which did not go unnoticed by Connor. He quickly took a mental picture and tucked it away into a new folder deep in his memory.

He tried to ignore the response, tried to even out his complexion and stop his heart from doing that annoying flutter. "Im going to bed. See ya tomorrow."

“Sleep well, Hank.” Connor gave him a cheerful smile before leaning back against the couch. 

His eyes shut and he let his body slip into a peaceful stasis.


	5. Slow Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hank and Connor's feelings for each other finally come to a head after a tender Thanksgiving dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE BOYS FINALLY KISS YAY

The next couple of days Hank was a little guarded around Connor. Not cold by any stretch, but the realization that he was falling in love with the android had only succeeded in making him recoil from it. He couldn't do this. He wouldn't. And it hurt, but he cared to much about Connor’s safety and happiness to be such a creep.

It had never remotely crossed his mind that Connor could have feelings for him too. 

Connor had quickly realized that Hank had been a little more distant. He brooded on the subject and beat himself up internally.

Maybe his calculations had been off and he had misread the situation; it was clear to him that something was off and he didn’t understand why. He didn’t mention Thanksgiving anymore, and didn’t initiate any more physical contact, but often thought of the times they had touched. His demeanor remained cheerful and he engaged in conversation enthusiastically with Hank, but he would disappear into his headspace frequently. Sometimes he would sit unmoving for long periods thinking of nothing and everything at the same time.

On Thanksgiving they worked for part of the day, to cover for the many people who were out spending it with their families. Hank seemed a bit quieter, sadder than usual as he typed at his desk.

Connor typed away across from him, dressed in a shirt and tie. He had remained quiet for the most of the day. He could feel the listless energy radiating off of Hank and it affected his own mood. He had pieced clues together to realize why Hank was so depressed about this holiday in particular and didn’t bring it up, not wanting to upset him. At one point he glanced over at him, noticed his grim demeanor, and felt the anxiety slip through his system. His hands paused on the keyboard and he gave a quiet sigh.

Hank looked over to him. "Everything alright kid?" He asked gently.

“Yes.” Connor reached a hand up to his temple and leaned back in his chair. He felt like he wasn’t capable of finishing any work in this state.

Hank was quiet a moment, contemplative, then spoke. "You uh...still interested in doing food tonight?" He hoped it didn't come off as an implication that it was expected of Connor in any way.

Connor blinked and looked over at him as the anxiety began to ease off. He was... Surprised.

“Of course, Hank.” His lips quirked up into a smile. “I’d really like that.”

"Yeah...maybe...maybe it's a good idea. I think it might be good for both of us. Come on, we're basically off the clock anyway. Let's go to the store." Hank stood up.

Connor stood and tidied up his desk, put his pens away, and pushed in his chair as he pondered over Hanks words. It seemed like Hank was hiding something from him again, or perhaps holding back, but Connor wouldn’t question it. “According to social media, the grocery store by your house still has plenty of turkeys in stock ranging from breasts to 12 pound birds.”

"I don't know if we need very much since its just me" Hank chuckled. He headed out, stopping by Jeffrey’s office to wish him a good night with his family, before he headed to the car.

Connor followed, said a cheerful goodbye to Jeffrey, and slipped into the car after Hank. “Perhaps a small breast would do then. Do you like mashed potatoes, Hank? I’ve found a popular recipe to go alongside the turkey.”

"Hell yes." Hank replied, pleased. He liked most thanksgiving food, and was actually getting excited thinking about eating it.

They drove to the store. "Lets both go in"

Connor had only been inside of the grocery store a small handful of times and perked up at the mention of him joining Hank. He got out of the car and dug out a few recipes from his memory to make a list of things they needed.

Hank walked in, staying close to him. "Alright Robocop, what do you need to work your magic?"

Connor’s LED spun yellow for a moment. “I need a fresh turkey breast, three pounds. Potatoes. Butter, milk, spices.” He listed off specifics and rattled off the recipe down to the amounts. “If you’d like, we should get a dessert for after dinner. I could always make one too.”

Hank smiled "That sounds good. For your sake lets just buy a pie or something." He started tossing the groceries into a cart as he walked.

As they turned down their third aisle, Hank stopped. Gavin was standing there, checking out coffee.

Connor froze, his eyes locked on Gavin, then swiftly turned away. He grabbed onto the edge of the cart and forced it to turn around with him, moving to exit the aisle quietly and efficiently, but it was too late. Gavin had already seen them, and he laughed a little, muttering something under his breath. 

Hank went with Connor, but he bristled. "Fucking twat..." He growled.

“Just ignore him, Hank.” Connor murmured, and reached out to touch his friend’s arm to soothe him but then thought otherwise and withdrew it.

Hank huffed, but tried to go back to shopping. A while later a voice came from behind them. 

"Connor, I thought you guys were free? Looks to me like your more of a slave than ever to the lieutenant. He has you cooking for him now like an obedient housewife?"

Connor turned as the words stung through him. The mechanical, defensive side of his consciousness threatened to rise up, but he willed it back as his LED blinked yellow. “I am free, Detective. I’m choosing to do my shopping with the Lieutenant on my own will.” His voice had a bite to it and his hands gripped at the handle of the cart, blue veins popping near his knuckles.

Hank stiffened, realizing now what Gavin was getting at. And his comment implied the rumor wasn't just his own opinion. How many at the station thought Hank was...what, fucking Connor? That he was keeping him as some kind of pet?? His stomach twisted in a mixture of fury and humiliation. "Why don't you get over here and say that to my face, Gavin? You think i'm above making a fucking scene in the grocery store?"

“Ha-Lieutenant, lets go. Please.” Connor could feel his own levels of stress rising and the anxiety made itself apparent in his chest. A warning popped up on his HUD but he pushed it away. He wouldn’t lose control, not here. He wouldn’t let himself get angry. He took the carriage and started walking with it determinedly, his hands trembling.

Hank looked ready to go at Gavin, nearly trembling from the restraint. Gavin looked a little nervous. "Have a nice evening, Lieutenant. I’m sure that you will." He headed off.

Connor made a beeline for the turkey and did a quick scan of one. It was fresh enough for his liking and a good size to feed Hank for at least a couple meals, and he placed it in the cart without bothering with any of the other useless details the analysis brought back. He was at war with himself again internally and fought against the urge to chase after Gavin and do who knows what to him. He had upset Hank which in turn most likely ruined the night they had planned. He had been hopeful but now his body was filled with anxiety and an anger that was beginning to burn hotter the more he thought about it. “Hank, we need to leave.”

"Do you have everything you need?" Hank tried to keep his temper in check, tried to breathe evenly, and tried not to think about Gavin imaging Hank...doing anything to Connor. Gavin imagining that made him feel sick in a strange way...it was intrusive.

“Yes. We have everything.” Connor’s voice was firm and his face blank as made his way to the check out. He stared at the ground as they waited, then at some tabloids, trying to shift his attention to anything else but his own thoughts.

He headed out, make sure Connor didn't leave his sight. He got into the car and sat a moment quietly, trying to calm himself.

Connor sat beside him, his LED still a spinning whirl of troubled yellow. It had started lightly snowing and they would not be taking Sumo for a walk today.

Since the incident with the spray paint, Conner had rarely spoken about it. He didn’t pursue whoever had done it and let the subject drop.

In the time since it had happened, Hank had quickly worked to slap some paint over the graffiti on his house. It didn't look great, but anything was better than the hateful message, and Hank hardly cared about appearances. He parked and grabbed some bags, heading in.

Connor wordlessly took the remaining bags and headed inside. He slipped his shoes off and took the groceries into the kitchen.

Hank put the bags down. "Connor...i’m sorry about...about what he said. And i'm sorry if there's some sort of rumors...you don't deserve that."

Connor was quiet as he removed each ingredient from the bag and started unwrapping the turkey. It would need to cook for nearly two hours at this size. “Hank.” His voice was soft and he turned to look at him, confused. “Why... Why are you saying sorry?”

"Because..." Hank wasn't actually sure how to vocalize the feeling. "Because of what he implied, I guess. It was fucking...disgusting" At least, it had made him feel disgusting, like a washed up pervert. Maybe the worst part had been the grounding in truth.

Connor blinked and stared at him, feeling some sort of feeling drain from his body. His nerves felt like they were practically chilled down to the thirium pump in his chest. He was confused. Gavin’s comments had implications that took him longer than he wanted to analyze and understand. “You know none of it is true though. I... I know it’s not true. It’s not like that.”

"Of course it's not!" Hank said in exasperation, entirely too quickly and defensively. "You're free to go whenever you want, nothing’s expected of you, and I'm not--I mean we aren't---"

“I like you Hank. I don’t want to leave.” Connor’s words were determined and he kept his eyes locked on him. “I don’t care if anyone at the force spreads rumors or gossip. And... I don’t care what the Detective says, especially.”

Hank sighed. "I find it hard to believe you dont care" He said quietly, sitting in a kitchen chair. He ran a hand through his messy hair.

“I don’t care because I know none of it is true. You treat me well, Hank. You care about me and I know you would never hurt me.” Connor continued to watch him determinedly in an attempt to get his point across.

"I wouldn't, ever. Besides I’m pretty sure you can take care of yourself" Hank smiled weakly, feeling better at Connors words. “I could take care of myself, but that sounds like a very lonely lifestyle.” Connor’s lips curled into a smile and turned back to the turkey. 

"Yeah, I agree. Plus...you're really good at taking care of me...I think Im healthier with you than I have been in years." Hank teased.

Connor smiled and let out a soft chuckle. The noise he made surprised even himself and he wondered when the last time he had laughed was. Had he ever laughed before? “I like taking care about you. You’ve lost almost 5 pounds since I changed your diet, you know.”

Hank was also surprised by the laugh and smiled more, watching him. "And that's with all the delicious food you make me...I suppose I could still stand to lose a significant amount more though."

“By health standards yes but... I think you’re perfect the way you are.” The words slid out before Connor even realized it and he swallowed hard. A quick search revealed that this was something intimate to say, to a close friend or lover, and Connor wondered if he was overstepping his boundaries by speaking it. The anxiety started again and his hands formed into fists.

Hank seemed stunned to silence by the comment, a blush building over his face. "Uh...thanks." He finally replied. His mind felt foggy. Surely Connor was just being kind? There was no other explanation. He felt about as far from perfect as it was possible to be, especially in comparison to the android.

Connor watched him a few seconds longer then turned back to the turkey. He prepped it quick, adding adequate spices and starting the oven to preheat it. Hank had blushed and reacted positively to his comment; he took this as a good sign. He seemed to be in a better mood.

Hank tried to forget the comment, knowing it would just hurt him to dwell on. Instead he watched Connor cook. The android worked so deftly, though not so much with more skill than a human. It was more like watching a human without a single imperfection to begin with.

Connor set the turkey in the oven then started worked on the potatoes. He peeled them carefully and started a pot of boiling water. He followed the recipe exactly and glided around the kitchen, each of his movements exact and perfectly planned. “Dinner should be ready in 2 hours and ten minutes, Hank.”

"Incredible" Hank smiled and stood up. "I assume there’s nothing I can do to help?"

“No, I can do all the cooking.” Connor glanced over his shoulder to look over at him. “Relax. It’s been a long day.”

"I think I'll take a shower" Hank sighed and stretched a little. "Thank you Connor...for everything"

Connor looked over at him and slowly, evenly, dumped the potatoes in the water. “Of course, Hank. Thank you for everything as well. Enjoy your shower.” He meant the sentiment as he said it. He didn’t know where he would be if Hank hadn’t let him stay and the thought made his anxiety spike. 

Hank headed off to his room, grabbing clothes and a towel, and then on to the bathroom. He was gone for around an hour, significantly longer than he normally took.

Connor worked his magic in making Hank’s Thanksgiving as nice as possible. While in the shower he set the dingy kitchen table, setting out plates and perfectly folding the napkins and cutlery. He dug out a bag of frozen vegetables from the freezer and prepared those as well. Hank seemed to be taking a while in the shower but it made time for him to be alone and cook and concentrate on the tasks at hand. Soon the house was permeated with the fragrant smell of cooking turkey and spices.

Hank finally came back to the kitchen, wearing one of his nicer button ups, hair pulled back, and his beard neatly trimmed. He looked almost embarrassed about it. It was easier for him to hide his insecurities behind a disheveled appearance. He made himself a strong drink.

Connor was working on mashing the potatoes when Hank walked in. He did a scan of his person even though it was obvious of the changes and paused for a moment. Hank had cleaned up for the dinner and dressed nicely. Connor suddenly felt inadequate and wished he had worn one of his sweaters. He searched for what humans usually wore during these kinds of gatherings. “How was your shower? Dinner should be ready soon.”

Hank was surprised Connor didn't question him, and figured he just didn't care. Either way, he felt it would be rude to sit down to such a nice dinner looking like a slob. "Good, thanks. Sure there's nothing I can do?"

“No, thank you. It’ll be done soon.” Connor’s internal timer chimed, signaling the turkey was done, and he slipped on an oven mitt to retrieve it from the oven. It was cooked perfectly and he set it on the burner to rest. Rolling up his sleeves, he reached for the milk and and butter to finish off the potatoes.

Hank sat down, scrolling through his tablet to catch things like game scores while he waited.

Connor snuck a look over at him during a moment's break. He could see more of his face with his hair up and he suddenly became more aware of the thirium running through his artificial veins. He could see the sharp curve of his jaw more cleanly like this and he took a steady breath at the thought.

"It smells delicious" Hank sighed, breathing in the scents of the kitchen. He’d suddenly realized how hungry he was.

When yet another internal timer went off in his brain, Connor worked on cutting the turkey into slices. It was cooked perfectly and Conner was pleased by this fact as he plated it. He gave Hank a few tender slices, a scoop of potatoes, and a hearty portion of vegetables that he hoped he would eat, then brought it over to the table. He set it down gently in front of Hank and felt the nervousness again rising up inside. “I... I hope it’s to your liking.”

Hank looked thrilled at the food, and picked up his utensils "Shit Connor...this is incredible...you've outdone yourself..." He dug in eagerly, and after only a bit it was clear he was pleased. He let out an appreciative groan, then between bites managed to say "it’s delicious. Best i've ever had"

Connor slid over to the seat across from him and folded his hands in his lap. Hank’s compliments gave him that same high that he got from touching him and he could feel the thirium pumping in his ears.

Hank ate happily, and even got seconds, managing to put away a lot of food. He made small talk between bites, mostly about work and the weather, and mentioned several more times how damn good the meal was. Once he finished he sat back a little in his chair, full but very content.

Connor was thrilled to talk to him and answered his questions enthusiastically, often times smiling and even chuckling at some of the things he said. He was warm and enjoying himself immensely, seeming thrilled that Hank liked his meal. “I’m really glad you like it, Hank.” Although he had cooked the meal according to the recipe there was a chance he could have made a mistake, although the odds were small.

Hank simply sat for a few moments, partially to digest, but partially just to enjoy the moment. As he watched Connor he realized: This was it. 

This was the happiest he had felt since Cole had died. 

It was a level of happiness he had never thought he'd be capable of reaching again. And ...it was all thanks to Connor. Connor, this strange, sassy, neurotic android that had been thrust into his life when he was least wanted, but most needed. He fully realized then that if Connor hadn't busted into his life, literally punched through his window, he wouldn't have made it to this Thanksgiving. The knowledge was heavy on him, and it made him want to repay Connor in some way, give him anything, everything, to thank him for giving Hank’s life meaning and joy again. Somehow an android had become his whole world.

Connor just smiled at him, taking pleasure at how much he seemed to enjoy his food. Sumo would benefit from the leftovers as well as long as he cut the fatty skin off. “I hope you left room for pie, Hank.”

Hank laughed, a true, real, pure laugh. "Always room for pie" He stood and cleared the table, rinsing the dishes. He refused to let Connor cook AND clean up.

Hanks laugh rang through Connor and he saved the sound to his memory, storing it in a familiar folder. He stood and immediately reached for Hank’s plate more on impulse than anything but didn’t complain when he started the dishes. He waited for him to finish and folded his hands in front of himself. “I could have done those, Hank. I was the one who made the mess.”

"What mess, you made a masterpiece" Hank put the dishes in the washer and put away the food in the fridge for much anticipated leftovers in the future.

He smiled as he watched Hank put the food away. “You’re free to give some to Sumo. Turkey has enough protein in it to benefit him nutritionally enough.”

Hank smiled and cut up some of the meal before tossing it in a very appreciative Sumo's bowl. He looked back to Connor. "He thinks its great too" He sat back down, his chair scooting a little closer to Connor’s subconsciously. 

“I’m glad.” Connor’s hands folded in his lap again and he sat quietly, letting his system quietly compute. Instead of his often times frantic, useless computing that revolved around his anxiety, he thought of how good their dinner had been. He would have to make him another elaborate dinner again.

Hank sipped his drink, watching him. "Do you like cooking?"

“I... I do.” He smiled and shifted through the amount of recipes he had saved in a folder. He had cooked so much for Hank as of recent that it was almost second nature to him. “It certainly is a good skill to have. Do you like my cooking?”

Hank was grateful for the answer, still afraid Connor was only doing things out of some kind of obligation to him. He looked to him, face soft. "I do. It's delicious. But...it's even more important because you're making it for me...I uh...I don't have anyone else that would do that for me."

Connor’s memory stored that bit of information too and hid it away in the folder. The way Hank was speaking was genuine and a scan revealed that there was no hint of a lie in his voice. The other man genuinely enjoyed his food. “I’ll keep making you food as long as you want me to, Hank.”

The promise actually made his eyes sting with tears. He prayed it was a long time, prayed Connor wouldn’t change his mind and leave, go off to do more exciting things and be with more interesting people. He prayed Connor would stay with him, maybe even love him, and he wasn't a religious man.

Connor sensed a subtle emotional change within Hank and was immediately concerned. Without thinking he reached across the table and took his hand, squeezing gently. The overwhelming feeling of calm filled him again and he half sighed in relief at how long it had been since they had touched.

Hank nearly jumped in surprise, but he didn't pull away. 

"Christ Con, Im just waiting for the day you realize you could be doing something better than wasting your life with me..." He mumbled.

A chill ran through Connors nervous system. A spark of anger, of annoyance. His voice was suddenly icy. “Hank, I’m not ‘wasting’ my life with you. I... I wish you would stop saying that. I’m here with you because I want to be with you. I like you a lot, Hank. Why don’t you realize that?”

"Because there's no fucking reason Connor! Thats why! Why the fuck do you even care about me??" Hank was shouting back, maybe more passionately than intended but it was feelings he had built up over a long time. He felt a sort of desperation, a need for Connor to just hurry up and shut him down, end this charade.

Connors LED quickly phased to a yellow, then red, then yellow again. Hanks shouting was urging that darker part of himself to give way, but he knew better than to let it out. He wouldn’t do that to Hank. Instead he wrenched his hand from Hank’s grasp and pounded his fists on the table, causing his glass to shudder from the force. 

“You’re everything to me, Hank!” His voice was loud and sharp, designed for interrogation. “You’ve made me realize that I’m alive and not just some shitty machine! You’re...” He trailed off and wondered for a split second if he had said too much.

A warning popped up showing that one of his fans was going at full power. “I care about you more than I’ve cared about any mission. I care about you more than I cared about the revolution and more than I’ve ever cared about myself! Isn’t that obvious, Hank?”

Connor's words echoed through him, hitting him in his core. They were so...genuine. He felt something break in him, and thought fleetingly of the idea of metaphorical walls. If that was an accurate statement then his were crashing down. His heart pounded, and his hand moved to Connor's neck, pulling him forward without giving either of them time to think better of it. Their lips collided, maybe a bit rougher than Hank had intended, but he was drunk and already beginning to cry so it hardly seemed to matter.

Holding Hank’s hand held nothing in comparison to kissing him. The movement caught the android off guard completely and he didn’t have time to compute, assess, or predict any situation. All Connor knew was warmth and then an explosion of sensation that traveled down his body and left him gasping against Hanks soft lips. Transmitters in his body fired off all sorts of signals telling him to fight it off, give in, or shut down, and he ignored every one of the warning screens that popped up. Quickly he searched through his database for advice on how to kiss correctly, on why kissing was a thing between humans, but his processors were too slow. Instead of thinking he gave in to the feeling, stuck between Hanks hand on his neck and his lips on his mouth, and leaned in closer, desperate for more.

Hank didn't have much ability to think, beyond his surprise that Connor...wasn't...pulling..away? He decided that since Connor showed no signs of discomfort, he too would just go with it, and his other hand flew up to cup Connor's cheek as they kissed. Hank hadn't done it in a while but if he was proud of anything, it was that he knew he was a shockingly good kisser. His lips pressed Connor's mouth open wider and his tongue slipped expertly into the android's mouth.

Connor accessed a basic article about kissing, skimmed it, and realized it wasn’t worth reading. Even as his system worked in mere seconds he didn’t have enough time to discern any useful information. Instead he just let Hank guide him through the kiss. He parted his lips when Hank did and pressed his tongue against his when he felt it was right. His own mouth was moist with artificial saliva used to better examine and dissect possible evidence and while it aided in the process of kissing the other man, he couldn’t stop his body from analyzing his mouth as well.

Hank circled Connor's tongue, exploring his unusual mouth. It felt surprisingly human, warm and wet, and so good. He felt his lungs begin to ache for air so he reluctantly pulled away, teeth raking over the androids plush bottom lip as he did so. His eyes, which had been clamped tight through the act, slipped open filled with uncertainty.

Connor could feel Hank pull away and thought he had done something wrong but came to the quick conclusion that Hank just needed to breathe. This was normal. The loss, however, left him shaking and overstimulated. Neurons sent electrical pulses up and down his spine and made the wires under his skin jump with impulses. His eyes blinked open to meet Hanks and he looked at him with a dazed expression as his LED rapidly blinked yellow. “Hank.”

"Im sorry" Was all Hank managed to breath out, assuming for sure he had really fucked things up now. His heart raced with fear.

“No. Don’t say you’re sorry anymore, Hank.” Connor could hear Hank’s heart and knew the other man was nervous and unsure. Two warning screens popped up and he exited them without a second thought as he raised a hand up to cup Hanks cheek, his fingertips tracing his hair gently.

"You don't seem...upset" Hank responded quietly, holding his eyes. Connor's touch was so sweet, so tender...so...real. His fingers brushed against the hair at the nape of Connor's neck, then slipped into it, burying themselves.

“Why would I be upset?” Connor murmured the question softly, his tone confused. Hank’s fingers against him sent a shiver down his body and he felt another fan switch on to help cool the hard drives inside of him that were most definitely near overheating. “I like it when you touch me. I don’t really understand it, but it’s as if I can really, truly feel it.” He gave a soft, shaky sigh.

"You really...like this?" Hank slid his fingers down again to the base of Connor's neck. "Me kissing and touching you?" He emphasized the 'me' part. He wasn't a young, spry, inhumanly attractive android and he had to make sure Connor remembered that.

Connors eyes fluttered for a split second and his LED shifted between blue and yellow. “I think you’re perfect, Hank.” He recalled the time where he had sat and gazed at the other man for hours while he had slept. “No one else, human or otherwise, makes me feel the way you make me feel. I thought that was obvious but perhaps I was mistaken.”

"Jesus Christ Connor....you never stop surprising me..." Hank smiled, face softening again from its former concern. "I guess I just can't believe you care about me...in this way. This isn't the same as friends Connor. Do you get that?" It wasn't patronizing, but honest. He wanted to be sure the other knew exactly what this meant.

Connor knew exactly the differences between human societal relations. He had spent countless hours researching it and other topics like it to better integrate himself into society... Not that it helped, really. His feelings for Hank had developed weeks prior and were hidden away due to fear and uncertainty. To Connors knowledge, Hank had only been with women before and had conceived a child with at least one. What other evidence was there to make him think he was interested in men, let alone an android? “I get it. I know what it means.”

"So you...you really want this? You want to...do this? I mean...like, explore it further?" Hank’s fingers slowly traced around Connor's jaw almost absentmindedly. It all felt like some wild dream to him.

“Yes.” Connor half knew what Hank was getting at but was too distracted by the soft touches on his jaw to think about it properly. A trail of shivery warmth was left on his artificial skin in the wake of Hanks fingers. “I want you to make me feel like I’m a human, Hank.”

The words sent a jolt of electricity through him, from his heart down his spine and straight to...in all honesty his, cock was beginning to get interested in the proceedings. But that just wasn't going to happen no matter how beautiful and willing Connor was. He couldn't rush this. It was everything. It was too important to drunkenly fuck up. "Fuck..." He murmured, and settled for pressing their lips together once more. One of his hands, the one not on the androids neck, slipped down to rest on his waist. 

Connor watched Hanks face, his eyes flickering between his lips and mouth, and he met Hank halfway when he leaned in for the kiss. This time the kiss felt less urgent but just as needy, as Connor experienced the intoxicating bursts of electrons under his skin again. His own hands, which had been in tight fists against his thighs, slowly relaxed and moved to slip around Hank’s middle loosely. Once again he let Hank take control as he was wildly inexperienced and, for the first time in a long time, imperfect at what he was doing.

Connor felt so right in Hank’s arms, and he found it agonizingly charming that for once, the android seemed so at a loss. He was more than willing to guide him through the process, leading with his mouth. He moved slow, but added a tad more nipping this time to see how Connor reacted.

Hank was driving Connors body into madness with the movements of his tongue and lips. Each press made him gasp and twitch against the older man and his hard drive tried desperately to accept and push away the sensations at the same time. His programming wanted nothing of this; this was not something he was built to do and was therefore unnecessary. But thankfully his consciousness, his soul, his deviancy, was in command and he wanted it more than life itself. He craved more from Hank and surged forward in a sudden act of confidence. His teeth dragged along his lower lip and his hands crawled up Hanks sides slowly, his fingers pressing at him insistently.

Hank growled softly against Connor's lips, his heart pounding. He shivered at the touches, and his own fingers dug into Connors hips. He wanted more, wanted to tear at Connor's clothes, his own pants feeling painfully tight at his crotch, but instead he pulled away.

Connor could hear the thirium pumping in his ears, could practically feel his core and fans working overtime to support some sort of meltdown, but then it all stopped. Hank was pulling away and Connor was unsure why. His eyes slowly opened to look over at him with eyebrows knitted. Hanks heart rate was elevated, as was his breathing and blood pressure. This was expected. He was also exhibiting clear signs of arousal which flattered Connor but was also expected. So why had Hank pulled away? Did he do something wrong?

Hank was nearly panting, and he met Connor's eyes. "We need to stop...or...at least slow down."

“Did I do something wrong?” Connors voice was soft and unsure and his hands slipped back to his own lap again.

"No! No no no...im sorry Connor that's not it...you're amazing...perfect...I just...I don't want to rush this." Hank took the others hand gently, sincerely.

Searching for phrases of ‘taking it slow’ proved to be inconclusive and a waste of Connors time. He nodded slowly and settled for taking Hanks hand, his fingers squeezing around his gently. “Alright, Hank. I trust you.”

"I want to...do this right." Hank said firmly, and that meant not while he was drunk and still reeling from just a kiss. But he still held Connor's hand.

Connor nodded again and lifted Hank’s hand to his lips to press a kiss against the fleshy part of his thumb. Hank was still moderately intoxicated and perhaps that’s what he meant when he wanted to do things right.

Hank flushed at the action. How could Connor be so charming? So pure and so sexual at the same time? It was mind boggling and Hank’s head was starting to ache. "Can we go sit on the couch?"

Connor smiled at Hanks obvious blush and stored away that image too. With a nod he stood with wobbly legs and paused to gather his bearings. His body was beginning to calm down now that Hank wasn’t touching him but the effects lingered even as he made his way into the living room. His head felt heavy and one of his reserve fans continued to hum away deep in his chest.

Hank stood, wobbly on his legs, and staggered a bit to the couch before sitting down heavily. He motioned for Connor to sit beside him.

Connor watched him a moment then obediently sat beside him, his hands folded in his lap. Anxiety began to creep into his chest and he looked to Hank both expectantly and nervously.

"What's wrong?" Hank frowned, sensing his unease.

“Are you sure I haven’t done anything wrong? I can do more research on the courting and sexual nature of humans, if you’d like. I’m not very... Experienced, as I’m sure you’re well aware.”

Hank laughed a little, fondly not cruelly. "Connor, you didn't do anything wrong. Its just...been a while since I've been with someone, and I care about you so fucking much, I want to take things slow. We both have a lot we still need to learn about each other and I don't think blundering into sex is a great way to do it. Do you even know if you can...have sex?" He asked gently. It was still surreal that he was even saying any of this, but his care for Connor beat out his embarrassment easily.

Connor listened intently to him and gave a slight nod of his head when he was done. “I’ve told you before that I was built to be completely anatomically correct. On top of this, most models from Cyberlife are created with the capacity to suit a number of needs even if their purpose doesn’t require it. Physically I am built with the ‘equipment’ to give and receive sex, but as far as programming goes... I’m not so sure.”

"So you might not actually enjoy it" The idea depressed Hank. He took Connor's hand gently.

“Although I haven’t experienced it yet... I think I would.” Connor’s thumb rubbed circles into Hank’s skin gently. “Judging by the way you make me feel when you’re just touching me or kissing me... I would say the probability of me enjoying it is extremely high.”

"Well it's a good reason to take it slow. We can find out what you like, how you like to be touched..." Hank touched Connors cheek again, tracing his fingers over his skin.

“Alright.” Connor leaned his cheek into his hand, craving that warmth from Hank again. “I want to find out what you like too, Hank. I want to make you feel good as well. Nothing would make me happier.”

Hank’s cheeks were red again and he ran his thumb along Connor's cheek. "We can figure it out together...explore it together."

“Okay. Yeah. That sounds like a good idea.” Connor wanted to turn his head and brush his lips against that thumb, but thought against it. He craved those bursts of transmissions under his skin again but wouldn’t rush things per Hanks request. They would go slow and at a pace he chose. “I look forward to it.”

Hank smiled and slid his hand off Connor's face, to take his hand again instead. He wasn't sure he had the capacity to do much else that evening, but holding Connor's hand was enough for now.

Connor took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze as his eyes slid to his face. “I feel like I have so many questions for you, Hank, but... I’m tired. Does that make sense?”

Hank frowned guiltily, averting his eyes. He didn’t look forward to going back off to bed alone. "Yeah you're right. I should head to bed."

Connor let his hand slip out of Hanks, feeling a little bad, and watched him. “Tomorrow we’ll talk, Hank.”

Hank nodded and wandered off to bed. He had a lot to think about, so falling asleep probably wouldn't be easy tonight.


	6. Feel It Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A misunderstanding leads to tension between the partners, and that tension finally boils over into intimacy. 
> 
> Aka: The boys finally take off their clothes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is significantly longer than others (there was no good breaking spot) and includes the first sex scene.

The next day Hank was in his room late.

Connor lay his body on the couch once Hank left and went into a deep stasis. His body rebooted that morning and he sat up, recounting the previous night, and took the time to consider what Hank had said. He searched for all sorts of meanings behind the phrase ‘taking it slow’ but found the results inconclusive and unhelpful. Instead he researched more into the dynamics of human courting and intercourse, especially those between two men, and found the topics to be much more fluid than he had thought. He downloaded a few articles to skim over later.

Still brooding on his thoughts, Connor decided to get up and tidy the kitchen and living room as best as he could, doing so quietly as to not disturb Hank in the other room.

Hank got up and shuffled sleepily to the bathroom, grumbling and groaning. He wore a ragged t-shirt and boxers, and his hair was a mess. When he got back out he heard the sounds of Connor milling about in the kitchen, and he walked in curiously. 

Connor was dressed in the same clothes from the previous night, still fresh and crisp looking, and was neatly putting away clean dishes in a cabinet. He turned when he heard Hank and gave him a slight nod. “Good morning, Hank. How was your sleep?”

Hank watched him a moment, brushing hair out of his face. He wondered if Connor was going to just pretend the previous night hadn't happened, go on as if things were as they had been. On the one hand it would be a relief; he wouldn't have to worry about disappointing Connor, or him leaving. 

On the other hand, it meant that he wouldn't get to feel those soft lips against his again, and that felt like a cold knife in his heart.

"Fine" He replied gruffly, going to the counter to make himself a coffee.

Connor turned away from Hank to finish up putting the dishes and cutlery away. It seemed the other man was in a sour mood which wasn’t uncommon, but Connor figured it best that he give him space. Perhaps this is what he meant by going slow. Regardless, he wouldn’t bring up the subject until Hank was ready to, even if the thought of it made that icy feeling of anxiety creep through his thirium laden veins. Instead, he focused on putting the forks, knives, and spoons away in their designated spots and analyzed the counter for any stains or liquids he may have missed while cleaning.

Hank made himself a coffee "How did you sleep? Or...charge?" He glanced at Connor.

“My stasis is neither like the act of sleeping or charging. It’s comparable to standby on a computer console.” Connor returned the glance and scrubbed at something near the sink with a sponge. He realized that it probably wasn’t the best response he could have given and he quickly tried to backtrack. “It was fine. I was comfortable.”

"Oh. Sorry." Hank frowned, not sure why he felt foolish. Perhaps it was just that he didn't really understand how Connor worked, despite being so smitten with him. He drank his coffee, black of course, and looked out the window.

“It’s fine. You wouldn’t know.” Connor rinsed the sponge off and set it down beside the sink. “Would you like some breakfast? You have two unexpired eggs left in the fridge.”

"No, its fine" Hank tried not to sound cold but he was feeling extra defensive. "I'm going to go get ready for work."

“Alright, Hank.” Connor picked up on the subtle change in his voice and the anxiety washed over him in a sick wave. He supposed he should get ready too and turned to go get changed, letting his autopilot turn on as he did so.

Hank went to his room, starting to change. He didn't know what to do or so, so instead he just went with his usual of nothing. He got dressed and then went out to find Connor.

Connor was buttoning up one of his newer shirts in the living room quietly as Hank walked in. He didn’t say anything but looked a little spacey; he was busy counting the thread count on his collar uselessly.

Hank watched him a moment, then walked closer. "Connor..." He didn't want to say anything, didn't want to open the can, but he was compelled to.

Hearing his name seemed to snap him out of his process and he looked up quickly, blinking a few times. He cleared out a warning in his HUD that signaled he had prematurely ended his counting program. “Yes?”

"Im sorry if I...For what I did. I was just drunk...we don't have to talk about it ever again...I didn't mean to...do anything."

The words crushed him more than they should have and he just stared at Hank with a blank expression. Of course- how could he have been so stupid? Last night was simply due to the effects of inebriation. Hank was lonely and Connor had been the only remotely human thing around. He started deleting folders at a rapid pace, erased history and removed websites, and let his deviancy slip away for the time being. “Sure thing, Hank. We don’t have to do talk about anything.”

Hank took the response as confirmation of his suspicion, and it was devastating in a way he hadn't really prepared himself for. His legs felt a little weak, and his chest tightened. He quickly went to the kitchen, finding his bottle.

Connor watched Hank go, feeling a little confused, but otherwise relatively emotionless. He heard the clink from the bottle and didn’t need to calculate to determine that was too early to be drinking, even for Hank. “Hank, we need to leave for work soon. You shouldn’t be consuming alcohol.” He called.

"Leave me the fuck alone, Connor" He grumbled and drank straight from the bottle. He wasn't about to deal with this litany of emotions.

Blinking, Connor walked into the kitchen and stood stiffly in the doorway to stare at him. “Being inebriated will endanger your ability to get to work. On top of that it will effect your work performance.” His voice came out stern but his system was busy computing the alcohol content in the booze, determining how much Hank would have to drink on an empty stomach to get drunk.

"I don't give a fuck Connor." Hank took another swig. If he was drunk, at least partially, maybe this hurt would go away. Logically he knew it wasn't true, but he had tried nearly every night for three years to make it so. At least it dulled the pain, and it might even literally kill him which didn't seem much like a negative.

Connors LED swirled an angry red as he watched the other man take a deep drink. He was crossing the kitchen before he could compute the exact purpose as to why and reached out, wrenching the bottle from Hanks hand forcefully.

Hank looked at him, shocked. "What the fuck!?"

“I’m sorry, Lieutenant, but I’m not going to let you jeopardize both of our jobs at the station.” Connor was yelling, his LED blinking red. “Plus driving while inebriated is a risk to your life.” He set the bottle down loudly on the table and stared at him.

"Well maybe you should just go without me then. Im sure you can fucking drive!" Hank tried to snatch the bottle back, his anger rising.

“I refuse to go without you.” Connor slid the bottle quickly away. “I’m starting to think that I’m the cause as to why you’re drinking. I’m sorry if anything I said last night upset you. Even if the feelings aren’t mutual, I care about you and your life. I refuse to leave you alone in this state.”

"Christ Connor, you aren’t the cause, I am! Im a fuck up! You're the only thing besides my fucking dog I care about anymore, and now I fucked that up!" He snapped, sounding desperate.

Connor stared at him, confused and face blank. He didn’t understand. “I... What do you mean?”

"I couldn't just...let us be friends! Couldn't just be grateful you even wanted to exist near me! I had to go and try to...had to kiss you!" He scowled, slamming a fist on the counter hard enough to rattle the bottle of whiskey.

His LED had faded into a swirling yellow as he tried to compute Hanks words. “So... You didn’t regret kissing me? I thought...” His voice had grown soft and he scrambled to push back the mechanical part of his brain for only a moment. “I thought you regretted it, Hank. I thought you wanted to forget it happened.”

"Of course I didn't fuckin regret it! You did!" Hank exclaimed in exasperation. His chest ached and he wanted another drink badly.

“I never said I regretted it.” Connor’s hand still curled around the neck of the bottle protectively, his knuckles white from the hard plastic underneath. “I didn’t regret it in the slightest.”

Hank seemed confused, watching him with furrowed brows. "What do you mean?"

Connor cleared his throat and repeated everything of what Hank had said, quoting him in his exact voice. “We don’t have to talk about it ever again. I didn’t mean to do anything.” He watched him as he switched back over to his regular voice. “This statement implies regret. Am I wrong?”

"I regretted it because I thought you did and were disgusted by me" Hank snapped back.

His tone of voice stung and Connor’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. “I told you that I thought you were perfect, Hank. I still think you’re perfect now. ‘Disgusting’ is a term I would never use to describe you.”

"I...assumed you were just being kind. Lying." Hank watched him, still seeming confused. “I know that lying may be one of the features of my particular model but I can assure you that I was not.” Connor watched him and slid the bottle closer to himself. They were going to be late for work if this continued but he didn’t bring that fact up.

Hank sighed "So you're really serious? You liked kissing me and all that and are interested in doing more?"

“I’m entirely serious, Hank. I spent the morning educating myself on the subject but have regretfully deleted most of those folders since then.” Connor’s LED was glowing a less of a frantic yellow now as he calmed down. Maybe... It had all been a misunderstanding.

"Educa--- deleted?" Hank blinked in surprise.

“Yes. I researched human coupling and sexual intercourse between males.” Connor watched him. It would take some time to dig through the various information websites and acquire that knowledge again. “But I’ve deleted it because... I thought you weren’t interested anymore.”

Hank turned scarlet red again, brows raising. "Christ Connor you didn't have to...I mean I told you we'd take it slow..."

“I know what you said. I just feel ridiculous for not knowing anything about it.” Connor’s shoulders relaxed. He didn’t like not being knowledgeable about things.

"But you're serious?? I just assumed….this morning, you didn't say anything about it! You had said you had questions..."

“You said to take it slow. I... Wasn’t really sure what that meant. When you woke up you seemed more sour than usual.” Connor took the bottle back to the cabinet to put it away, hoping Hank wouldn’t argue about it. “I figured it was my fault so I didn’t ask any questions. I’m sorry. I misread the situation.”

Hank sighed. "I'm...sorry." He didn't say it often, or lightly. But he truly was. "I guess I fucked up again. It's just hard for me believe that you'd be interested in me" He met his eyes.

“We both ‘fucked’ up Hank.” Connor turned and looked into his eyes. They were the lightest shade of blue and, Connor thought, very aesthetically pleasing. Only around 8% of the worlds population of humans carried the gene to have those color eyes. “When I told you I cared about you, I really meant it. I want to be with you.”

Hank held his eyes, his own softening, and he reached out to tentatively take his hand. "Well...I don't know why. But im grateful for it"

Connor wasted no time in taking his hand, craving his touch like a drug. Sensors picked up the warmth and sent delicious sensations down his arms and body. “I’m relieved, Hank.”

"Me fucking too" Hank held his hand, then lifted it slowly to press it against his cheek, pressing his beard down.

The sensation against Connor’s skin made him give a quiet gasp and he watched Hanks face with parted lips. The hair was coarse but such an interesting texture and he resisted the urge to run his fingers through it. “As much as I’d like to stay here with you all day.... We’re going to be late for work.”

"Fuck." Hank sighed "And I'm sure you don't want to just...call out sick..." He watched Connor's lips, wishing he could touch them.

“Androids cannot get sick, Hank, and therefore the excuse would not work.” Connot gave in and turned his hand, his fingertips pressing against Hank’s beard. His thirium went hot and he could feel the regulator in his chest start to work overtime.

"Yeah but I can, and we arent supposed to be seperated..." Hank responded measuredly. Connor's hand felt so nice against his jaw, and he leaned into it. The last thing he wanted was to go into work

“I know.” Connor watched his face and observed the way Hank leaned into his touch. His chest felt incredibly full in a way he couldn’t understand, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. “But you shouldn’t. Humans only get so much sick time in a years time.”

Hank sighed and pulled away. "Ok. Fine." He went to go pull on his coat. He felt disappointed, but pushed it aside.

“But...” Connor could hear the disappointed tone of Hank’s voice and quickly started after him. “If you wanted to stay home, just this one time, then I’ll allow it.”

Hank watched him, crossing his arms. "Connor, for Christ’s sake, do you want to or not, I'm too old for this back and forth."

“No.” Connor started and watched him, standing in the doorway with his hand on the frame. “No. I think it’s a good idea that we stay home.”

Hank smirked a little. "Do you though, or is this for my benefit?"

“It’s for both of our benefit I think.” Connor’s lips curled into a smile. “You just need to come up with a good enough excuse so Fowler will believe you.”

"You're a good liar right? Call and tell him I'm sick. Fever or something." Hank smirked, amused.

“You want me to call and lie?” Connor quirked an eyebrow but was already compiling a list of common call-out excuses from off of the internet. “Are you sure about that?”

"Yeah I'd like to see that" Hank nodded. He kicked off his shoes and went and sat down on the couch.

Connor quickly looked up the number to the station but turned towards Hank before dialing it. “Hank. We can stay home on one condition: Please, no more drinking until later on. If we talk... I want it to be while we’re both in the right state of minds. Is that clear?”

Hank sighed, but then nodded. "Alright. That’s fair." He wanted a drink now, but he wanted Connor far more.

Connor nodded then stepped back into the kitchen. He made the call professionally, asking for Captain Fowler, and went into some elaborate excuse about Hanks health. “Yes. This is Connor. Hank isn’t feeling well. I’ve assessed him and decided he wasn’t healthy enough for work today. His temperature read at 101° Fahrenheit and he said his head was ‘hurting really fuckin bad.’”

Hank covered his face to stifle his snort of laughter. The kid was scary good at not only lying, but also at playing him. It was actually flattering.

“Yes, I’ll let him know. Thank you Captain. We’ll see you tomorrow.” Connor ended the call and paused in the doorway to slip off his shoes. “Fowler hopes you feel better, Hank.”

"Yeah im sure Jeffreys' devastated" Hank rolled his eyes. "Alright. Well we have the whole day now..."

“That’s true.” Connor worked on loosening his tie then slipping it off and started re-downloading all the files he had previously deleted.

Hank turned to watch him, wondering what that might mean. He felt his heart beat a little faster as he watched the android, unsure if what to expect.

With his tie loosened, Connor went over to the couch and sat beside Hank, close enough that their knees bumped. He folded his hands in his lap and blinked, looking at Hank expectantly.

Hank raised a brow. "Uh...so..." He wasn't sure what exactly Connor was expecting.

“You wanted us to talk, so... Let’s talk, Hank. Educate me.” Connor reached out and took his hand, and the familiar sensations burst from behind his skin. It made him shiver and he felt his thirium part start up again, beating faster than usual.

Hank’s own heart started to speed up a little. "A-alright. But you gotta help me. Youre fucking impossible to read, so I need you to tell me how things feel okay? If it's good, or you don't like it, anything."

“Okay, Hank. I’ll... I’ll try to be more expressive. I’ll let you know.” Connor nodded and watched him, still gripping his hand tightly.

Hank stood up, pulling him with him. "We should go to the bed, it'll be more comfortable."

“The bed. Right.” Connor stood, stumbling a bit as his legs suddenly felt if they were liquid. He had been in Hanks room countless times to get his clothes but otherwise didn’t intrude and knew that bedrooms were a private sanctuary for humans. He held his hand tight as they went down the hall and his head was dizzy with nervous calculations.

Hank tried not to think too hard about anything, and instead focused on his hammering heart. He led Connor into the cool, dark bedroom. He considered turning on the light to get a full view of Connor if/when they undressed, but thought better of it when he remembered that he would be visible too. Instead he sat on the bed.

Connor stepped into the dark room and switched on his night vision to better see. Hank looked a little uncomfortable sitting there and he walked closer, standing in front of him close enough that their legs nearly touched. He shifted through article after article on how to initiate intimacy but his hard drive was acting slower than usual. Instead he reached out to touch his cheek. “Hank.”

Hank looked up at him. "Want to sit on the bed?" He was trying to muster up the courage to start...doing something. But he wasn't even sure what to do.

“Yes.” Something struck in Connor’s mind and he boldly stepped forward to sort of of straddle him. It was the first image that came up in a google search and it seemed to be the most fitting considering the situation. His knees planted on either side of Hanks legs and he straddled his thighs, his face close to his.

Hank’s brows rose, but his wide hands instinctively planted on Connor's hips. "So, what do you know? What did your research show?" He met his brown puppy eyes, feeling a warmth growing in him.

“It... I...” Connor desperately searched for something else to lead him but came up with nothing. He was frying his hard drive. “I haven’t really thought it through past this point.”

Hank chuckled "That's okay. Sometimes it's best not to overthink it. Sometimes you should just....feel it out." He untucked Connors shirt and slipped his hand up it, running rough fingers over his chest. He watched the android's face for any indications.

Hank’s fingers sent off all sorts of warnings in his HUD indicating that there was an intruder, possible danger, and that his system could be compromised. He immediately closed them and focused on Hank's hands instead. He could feel the callouses and tough skin on his fingers and found himself melting. If holding Hank’s hands was nice, then this was on a completely different level. His lips parted and he watched Hanks face, scanning over every wrinkle and eyebrow hair and freckle on his skin.

Hank seemed reassured by the reactions, and slid his thumb over Connor's nipple. He swallowed thickly, trying not to get too aroused too quickly.

Connor gave a soft breath akin to a gasp and felt his back arch. The artificial nerves along his spine sent the most curious of signals down his body and between his legs at the stimulation. “Hank, that’s... That’s good, I think.”

Hank grinned, almost mischievously. This was going better than he expected. Connor could feel, and he seemed surprisingly sensitive. "Good?" He rubbed his thumb slowly over the little mound, curious if it too would react.

Connor’s nipples rose under his fingers, reactive to his touch. “It’s like... I don’t know if I’m actually feeling it but... It’s...” He could barely speak and dug his fingers into Hanks shoulders. The impulses radiated down his body with each stroke of the other man’s fingers and his thirium regulator was hammering away in his chest. Regardless of what it was, his system was reacting positively to it.

"I dont give a shit what's happening as long as you like it." Hank was thrilled at Connor's bodies' response, and he moved his finger around his side to dance over his rips. "Can you take your shirt off?"

“Of course, Hank.” Connor’s skin was hot and his thirium was hotter, burning under his skin. He wondered if this is what it felt like for humans when they touched each other or if it was even more sensitive. His hard drive couldn’t even comprehend that level but he reached to slip his tie and shirt off his shoulders. It crumpled to the floor and he resisted the impulse to get up and fold it. He was left in just his pants, his chest exposed in the low light; it looked just like any other humans, with a spattering of freckles here and there, small perked nipples, and a belly button on his lean stomach.

Hank surveyed his skin, blue eyes landing on each freckle appreciatively. "Christ Connor..." He leaned in and placed a scruffy kiss to the android's collarbone.

Connor’s breath caught in his throat. “I know I’m not... Very unique.” He could feel Hanks beard on his skin and he shuddered under his lips. The combination of textures sent his sensors wild, electricity traveling southward again, and one of his hands snaked upwards to bury itself in Hanks hair.

"You're amazing Connor. Fucking perfect. But even if you weren't..." He spoke against his skin, then kissed him again, raking his teeth gently over his collarbone.

His skin was crawling under Hanks mouth but he was was filled with the want for more. He flipped through some articles, was quickly frustrated at the results, then decided to decide for himself on what to do. “Hank. Let me see you. Please.”

"Uh..." Hank wasn't sure he wanted to get there just yet, especially not after seeing how perfect Connor was. "Maybe we put that off a few minutes..." He sucked on Connor’s skin, realizing it tasted like...nothing. But that was alright with him.

Connor seemed disappointed by his answer and reached for the hem of Hanks shirt. “Why not? I want to touch you too. Wouldn’t you like that, Hank?” Maybe humans didn’t like this as much as Connor had thought... Maybe he was making Hank uncomfortable. He wasn’t sure and the thought made his body stiffen slightly.

Hank sighed against his skin and pulled away, meeting his eyes. "Alright, fine. But you asked for it..." 

He undid his button up, revealing the t-shirt underneath. He tossed the dress shirt away, and paused a moment in consternation before begrudgingly tugging off the t-shirt to reveal his torso.

His chest was broad and carpeted in soft gray hair, and a happy trail travelled down over his round stomach, disappearing into his pants. His beer belly weight wasn't grotesque in his opinion, but it was far from minimal as well, giving him a little bit of muffin top/love handle situation. His arms were still relatively muscular, and his left bore a surprisingly colorful tattoo of several gorgeous koi entwined in an intricate japanese style water pattern.

Connor sat back slightly to watch in obvious delight as he saw Hanks body the first time. He tried to not immediately scan him but ultimately couldn’t stop it as his eyes traveled over every inch of exposed skin. To Connor, Hank was perfectly imperfect and he saved picture after picture to a folder for later use. “Hank you’re... You’re really beautiful.” He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out with both hands; one slid over his tattoo and the other weaved it’s way through the hair over his chest.

Hank felt like his heart would break straight out of his chest at Connor's words, and the touches sent electrical tingles over his skin. It had been so long since someone had seen him like this...seen him so vulnerable. Even the rare drunken bar hookups had been typically in the darkness, partially clothed, etc etc. He placed his hands back on the android's hips, trying very hard not to let them tremble. "Th-thanks. I think that means a lot coming from you..."

Connor couldn’t get enough of Hank and couldn’t keep his hands off of him either. As his hands both moved to slide over his chest, the skin seemed to melt away over his fingertips and palms, exposing the pale white yet warm plastic underneath. It was something he had done unintentionally but it made his sensory greater and he gasped at the feeling of Hanks soft chest hair. He felt inadequate beside Hank, nearly completely hairless and slim, and regarded the other man as a near real life Adonis.

Hank noticed the skin fading on Connor's hands and looked at it in surprise. "What's that about? Is that supposed to happen?" He was genuinely concerned something might be wrong, that maybe this was too much for the android’s system.

“Yes. I’ve seen North and Markus do it and have done a bit of research on it myself.” Connor was a little breathless even though breathing wasn’t required and found that effect unsettling. “It’s... It’s how androids initiate intimacy between each other. Dissolving the artificial skin provides better conduction for electrical impulses and exchange of information.” He paused and slid his hand up to one of his nipples. “It’s making my senses a little sharper, I think. However I can stop it if you find it unnerving.”

Hank’s breath caught in his throat at the exploratory fingers. "No no it's fine, I mean...if it makes you feel good its great." He smiled a little, trying to just relax. Despite his anxiety, Connor seemed like he really was getting something out of this.

“And do you feel good, Hank? What can I do to make you feel good?” Connor continued to explore over his chest and slipped a hand down to curiously touch over the coarser hair of his happy trail. Research told him that many humans shaved their bodies and Connor was relieved that Hank was not one of those humans.

Hank wasn't sure how to answer verbally, so instead he caught Connor's mouth with his own again, kissing him hungrily. His hands slowly moved along Connors body, taking note of which places got reactions. Nipple was good, how about higher on his sides? His lower back? Shoulder blades? Neck? Earlobes? He wanted to know every single place Connor was sensitive, wanted to know exactly where to touch him to make him feel.

Connor seemed confused when Hank didn’t answer but enthusiastically met him in the kiss, his lips pressing hard to his mouth. He figured this was a good sign that he was doing something right and he kissed him hard as his tongue swept into his mouth. He was still inexperienced at it and couldn’t help but analyze Hanks mouth again, tasting the leftover alcohol there as he did so. 

Hank was touching him again and his body responded positively as the assaults on his artificial nervous system continued. He made a soft noise into Hanks mouth when his hands swept over his sides and back, and a different series of sensors shot off messages in his HUD, subsequently making his skin tingle pleasantly.

Hank smirked into the kiss, and slid his fingers across Connor's back again, adding a tiny bit more pressure and nails experimentally. He could feel his cock getting harder in his now annoyingly tight pants, but he wasn't sure what he wanted to do about it.

A red warning lit up in front of Connors eyes signaling a threat as Hank used his nails along his back. He pushed it away in annoyance. The slight plain was a new sensation, one that should have prompted his self defense mechanism to turn on, but he welcomed it instead with a moan. It was soft and genuine and slid from his lips on one breathy exhale.

If he had been hard before, Connor's breathy moan had made Hank a literal rock, and his hands fumbled a bit now. His arousal was intoxicating him, more than his whiskey ever did, and he slipped a hand down to clumsily unzip his pants and relieve some of the awful pressure.

Connors body did another scan of Hank and the results that returned excited him. Hank was insanely aroused, his body temperature slightly elevated and his heart hammering away, and he could see how dilated his pupils were even in the dark. He felt a warmth bloom through him from this fact and let his fingers dip further downward, the tips sliding into the top of Hanks pants. He couldn’t stop himself, even as Hanks words rang through his memory to ‘go slow’. He was certain that this would be the most direct route in pleasuring Hank and wanted to waste no time in doing so.

Hank panted softly against Connor, pressing his face into the android's neck. He kissed and sucked at it again, trying to stifle his urge to groan. He felt Connor's fingers slipping low, toying with the hem of his pants, and his heart stuttered. He wasn't sure if he should stop him, if he even could. He knew his cock was already wetting his boxers with pre it was so aroused.

Hanks tongue against Connor’s neck made his fingers twitch even as he delved curiously lower. The neck was a weak spot for him, vulnerable to attack, and his system flared up with warnings on how to properly deal with his assailant. He ignored them and focused on the feelings instead and how much thinner the artificial skin was in this area. “Hank, is this... Is this okay?” He breathed the words, referring to his fingers, and paused in his motions. ‘Go slow’ Hank had said, and he didn’t want to upset him.

"Is it...okay for you?" Hank pulled away, trying to compose himself. He felt like a sweaty inexperienced teen again with Connor, which was both exhilarating and terrifying. He had only hooked up with guys a couple of times in his younger days, so that was an added level. "Is it alright if I touch you?"

“Of course.” Connor said the words quicker than he intended to.. He was amazed to find his own body reacting, his already snug slacks tented, and found the situation frustrating.

Hank slid his own hands to Connor's tight pants, fumbling to undo them. He grinned to see that Connor had a boner too, a good sign, assuming it actually felt good and wasn’t just going through the motions. "Tell me if it feels good alright? Tell me honestly." He slid his hand slowly into Connor's open pants, working gently to pull his cock out.

Connor nodded and shifted slightly on Hanks lap to allow for better movement. He watched the other man’s shaking hands and took the few precious moments of pause to research and figure out the mechanics of what was happening to both him and Hank. 

The moment his fingers touched his cock he made a noise, a quiet surprised gasp, as electrical impulses shot up his spine. It felt odd, the sensations different, but more sensitive and not at all unpleasant. His anatomy was modestly made; his cock was of regular size and the pubic area surrounding it was nearly completely hairless. It curved up against Hanks hand, flushed and warm with the thirium beating through it.

Hank looked down to admire the hardware pressed against his own stomach. If there was such a thing as a perfect cock, surely this was it. His heart fluttered at the little beauty marks on Connor's abdomen, and the knowledge that he was one of the few who had the pleasure of seeing them. He was incredibly relieved at the reactions, but still wanted vocal confirmation that Connor was alright with everything. "Connor, you ok?"

“Yes, I’m fine.” Connor took a long, soft breath in an effort to cool down one of his components in his chest that was a little too warm. “It feels... It’s a lot. This has never happened to me before. But it’s good.” Part of Connor wanted Hank’s hands on him again, smoothing over his heated, plastic skin, and the other part desperately wanted to shut down and go into standby. He was suddenly nervous. “Am I doing things correctly, Hank?”

"Yeah Connor don't overthink it, there's not a shit ton of ways to do this wrong." Hank’s fingers slid around the androids cock gently, giving it a gently stroke to test out his reaction. 

Connor was already thinking of all the hundreds of ways it could go wrong and calculating that percentage but was caught off guard by the slow pull of Hanks hand. His breath caught in his throat and his hips gave a curious press forward. He hadn’t meant to move and the way his body reacted surprised him. Diagnostics proved everything was normal aside from his elevated core temperature.

Hank still wasn't sure of what ways human and android anatomy differed, but decided to treat them relatively the same until otherwise suggested, and that meant he needed some kind of lubrication, since dry handjobs typically weren't great. "Connor I need to get up for a second."

Connor’s system immediately went into a panic. Hank wanted him up so therefore he had done something wrong and his processors scrambled to find out what the problem was. He slid off his lap into a standing position and watched the other man nervously, his pants bunched at his knees and his briefs pulled down slightly. “Did I do something wrong?”

"W--? No! Jesus Connor calm down for two seconds!" Hank grumbled and stood, going to his drawers. "Everything's fine I just want to get something to help out..." He held up a bottle of lube.

Connor turned to watch him and calmed down. His eyes scanned over the bottle curiously and he was pleased to recognize the product from his research. It was a water based, non staining lubrication used to help lessen friction during sexual acts. The percentage of ingredients registered in his HUD by he determined the information useless. “Oh, I see.”

Hank walked back over, lube in one hand and the other struggling to hold his pants up. "Do you want to sit how we were? Was that comfortable? Would you rather lay down?"

“I want to do whatever is most comfortable and pleasing to you, Hank.” Connor watched him, his eyes dragging over his chest and down to his pants. “Why haven’t you removed your pants yet?”

Hank rolled his eyes at the android's aggravating response. "Have you considered that maybe pleasing you would please me?" He ignored the pants comment. Those were staying on as long as possible.

“I... Have considered it, yes.” Connor blinked slowly and looked back up to Hanks face. “Let me rephrase that. What would be the easiest position for me to get into for your benefit?”

"Just lay down on your back, on the bed" Hank decided it was easier than discussing any longer, and that way nothing embarrassing like his legs falling asleep could happen. He hated the constant little reminders of his age, especially now.

“Alright, Hank.” Connor nodded and paused to shimmy out of his pants before clambering back on the bed. He considered taking his briefs off but thought against it as he sprawled back on the mattress and waited patiently for Hank to make his next move.

Hank couldn't help but pause again to admire Connor's body, not to mention his eager obedience. He walked around to the side of the bed and layed next to him, propped up on one elbow, the other hand ghosting over Connors abdomen.

Connor watched every one of Hanks movements meticulously as he made his way closer and tried to project what exactly he was going to do, based on information he had gathered online. His calculations had proved wrong but he wasn’t upset and even smiled when Hank settled down beside him. They were moving slow, doing something that Connor learned as ‘foreplay’, and he sighed at the feeling of those calloused fingers over his skin.

Hank savored the feeling of the skin and the tiny soft hairs that speckled it. He could feel the warmth, the tiny movements of the synthetic components working inside Connor, not unlike his own organs. He trailed his fingers down to Connor's briefs once more, and tugged the elastic band out and down, shimmying it off his ivory hips.

Connor watched Hanks face as he was examined and tried to dissect his expression, having never seen the man exhibit something like this before. He lifted his hips when he started to pull his briefs off and gave a pleased sigh when his most intimate parts were exposed once more. His whole body felt wonderfully warm, almost sleepy, but under his skin his wires and thirium were pulsing and shooting currents through his body at a rapid pace.

Hank squirted a little lube into his hand, letting it warm a moment even though he wasn't sure Connor gave a shit about temperatures (based on the fact he never wore a coat or shivered, he doubted it) but he had always tried to be a gentleman in bed and old habits died hard. He placed his lubed hand around Connor's cock slowly.

Connor watched him work with the lube and let his body scan it again, giving him the same information that he didn’t really need, and resisted the urge when it told him to reach out and sample it. When Hank wrapped his hand around him this time the sensation was different- there was an added sensory element that Connor immediately decided was a pleasing one, and his lips parted.

Hank watched his face carefully, partly to be sure he was giving positive reaction and partly to savor that reaction. He began to move his hand slowly down his shaft, running his rough thumb over Connor's tip.

Connor’s hips gave a slight twitch up into Hanks touch with each slow stroke of his hand and he wondered for a moment if there were any other androids out there as lucky as him. Impulses shot up and down his spine in a slow wave, making his body tingle pleasantly and his fingers curl into the sheets underneath. His body responded positively to the ministrations and at one point started creating something comparable to pre, wetting the underneath of Hanks thumb with warm fluid.

Hank was surprised, and curious about the fluid, but didn't want to break the mood or risk embarrassing Connor to inquire. His hand slid slowly up and down the shaft, memorizing every ridge, each vein. His own cock twitched needily as he watched him. "Fuck youre beautiful Con..." He hoped the nickname was okay, it had just felt right in the moment.

Connor watched Hank with hazy eyes as his body was assaulted with pulses of pleasure. They were beginning to become more intense the longer he moved his hand and Connor felt his legs spreading slightly to give his body more leverage. “Hank, you’re beautiful too. Won’t you let me touch you a-as well?”

"Y-yeah...do you want me to finish you first though? Or do it at the same time?" Hank hoped he could keep his own movements adept while simultaneously being jerked off if that was the case.

His words were confusing and he tried his best to analyze them. By ‘finish’ did Hank mean climax? Was he even capable of doing that? Instead of answering he sat up on an elbow and reached over with his free hand to Hanks pants. Using his slender fingers, he slid down the other man’s underwear enough to expose his cock, and his eyes curiously grazed over the area.

Hank blushed again a bit as he was exposed, not having expected action instead of answer. His cock was a decent size, not particularly long but with decent girth, which he guessed could be his claim to fame if it weren't for the fact it usually made things more difficult than it was worth. His abdomen was blanketed in the same coarse gray hair that had trailed down his stomach. He wondered if he should just bite the bullet and pull his pants fully off, since now they were just a nuisance.

Connor paused for a moment simply to gaze at the other man and what he had to offer. It would appear that Hank was bigger than normal according to national standards but he didn’t really care; it was Hank and he adored every part of him. He reached out and wasted no time in wrapping his slender fingers around Hanks length, just feeling the hot pulse beneath his touch.

Hank inhaled sharply. He couldn't remember the last time a hand that wasn't his own was on his cock, and he hadn't realized just how aroused he was. He was stiff and so sensitive, dribbling needily in a way that embarrassed him a little. His own hand on Connor faltered a moment as he couldn't help but focus on his own influx in sensation.

Connor seemed pleased at the reaction and continued the exploration of his hand. He stroked over him in a way that mirrored how Hank had done it to him and glanced up curiously to his face.

"C-Connor...use some..." Hank grabbed the lube bottle with his free hand and passed it to him shakily. He tried to calm himself, a little concerned that he might literally blow his load too early from just excitement. His fingers began to move around Connor's cock once more, hitting a slow but steady rhythm.

“Oh, right. Sorry Hank.” Connor blinked in embarrassment and pulled his hand away to squeeze some onto his open palm. He did as Hank did, warming the product, then reached out to slip his fingers around him again. “Better?”

Hank gasped again at the sensation "Yeah yeah...just go slow ok?" His own hand moved a little faster on Connor, and he leaned in to kiss him.

Connors hips twitched into Hanks hand as he quickened the pace and he gave a soft, needy groan. He felt silly making all sorts of noises and felt his cheeks flush hot at both the exertion his body was under and the situation. He kept his grip tight around Hanks cock but went slow, focusing on twisting his fingers in ways he thought would be appealing to him.

Hank kissed him hungrily, thrusting his tongue against the android's breathlessly. His cock twitched in Connor's hand, and he felt himself moan softly against his plush lips. He pushed his body closer to Connors in the bed, close enough that their cocks pressed together now.

Connors lips pressed hard against Hanks mouth and his senses were instantly overwhelmed. The sensors in his mouth were bombarded by the taste of his saliva and the sweet press of their tongues together made him whine, a noise that surprised even himself. The second Hank shifted closer and pressed them together his body went from warm to hot and he squirmed, the electrical impulses shooting through his body in waves. It felt like he was about to short circuit and a temperature warning popped up in his HUD, his LED flickering from a cool blue to a blinking yellow.

Hank could feel him squirm a little, a reaction so far removed from the normally composed android, and wondered if he was actually having an orgasm? But his own hit him before he could think much about it, catching him offguard enough that he cried out against Connors lips, something that seemed to be a mixture of "Fuck" and "Connor". He came messily onto both of them, hand on Connor's cock trembling and tightening as he did.

Connor could see Hanks pulse quicken, his body seeming to wind tight like a rubber band, and it triggered something inside of him. His LED pulsed red and he felt like his entire body short circuited at once. He gasped out Hank’s name, his own hand squeezing tight around the other mans as he climaxed, his cock twitching and releasing some sort of viscous fluid into his palm. Error screens popped up then disappeared at a dizzying pace and his thirium regulator, for a moment, felt like it stopped working completely. He felt everything and nothing at the same time and it overwhelmed him completely.

Hank panted and trembled, resting his forehead against Connor's as stars danced in his head. He could tell Connor was having an experience as well, and for a moment he feared he may have actually hurt him somehow. He released Connor's leaking cock, wiping his hand off quickly before taking his cheek "Hey? Are you ok?" His voice was strained and he was sweating a bit.

Connor gasped as the android equivalent of an orgasm slowly began to ebb, gulping down breaths in an effort to cool his system down. He blinked a few times, his eyes hazy, and his LED phased back to a slow, blinking yellow. “Ah, Hank. I-I think I’m okay.” His voice was hoarse and didn’t sound quite like his own, more mechanical, like he had lost himself for a completely for a moment there.

"Christ are you sure? You scared me, I didnt think youd have that strong a reaction..." Hank stroked his cheek gently, comforting.

“Yes. It felt like I had short circuited but I don’t think that was the case.” Connor’s breathing began to even out as his body calmed. What had happened? “Was that pleasurable to you, Hank?”

Hank nodded, breath still not evened out. "It was...amazing. Thank you Connor..." He rubbed Connors arm gently, still worried.

Connors LED eventually faded to blue and he watched Hank, a smile curling over his face. His system felt better now and he was filled with a pleasant, calming warmth. “Of course, Hank. Thank you for helping me achieve climax as well.” As he spoke he subconsciously lifted a hand to his mouth, tasting the fluids there that they have both produced, and began to analyze it curiously.

Hank calmed, and entwined his fingers with Connors. He raised a brow at the lick and tried to scowl but somehow it was...kind of hot this time. "So was that an android orgasm? I thought you were going to explode..."

Connor analyzed the substances and catalogued the results. Hank’s was far more interesting than his own; the stuff he himself produced was the same fluid in his mouth and tear ducts, slightly salty and metallic in taste. “No. It felt quite good... almost like an intense electrical current. I’m sorry it startled you.”

"Was it dangerous to you though?" He placed a hand on Connor's hip, fingers brushing his skin absentmindedly.

“Not at all.” Sensation blossomed out from under Hanks touch and he shifted his hip closer, yearning for more. It had been, in a way, a close brush with a possible shut down, but that was the exhilarating part of it. “I told you that it felt quite good. I don’t think my thirium regulator has ever worked as hard before. It was like... Like I could feel everything all over my body at once.”

Hank chuckled. "Yeah, that sounds pretty similar to a human orgasm" He leaned in to kiss him again softly. "I felt amazing...you made me feel amazing." He was being genuine and vulnerable, not meeting Connor's eyes.

Connor met him with a gentle kiss and pulled away to look at the other man. He was so much different now than he was in the station- soft, loving, and gentle, and watching him made his thirium pump pick up again. “I think you need more people in you’re life that will make you feel amazing, Hank. You deserve it. You’ve gone through a lot.”

Hank flushed a bit "Don't get too mushy on me, Connor I can't handle it." He tried to seem disgruntled, but the kindness hit him hard. He looked up tentatively to meet the brown eyes.

It took him a moment to look up the definition of ‘mushy’ and what it meant and the results made him smile. He met his icy blue eyes and instantly began searching for hundreds of things of a comparable color, but couldn’t find anything. They were really beautiful, like some sort of polished gemstone or the surf of a tropical sea. “I can’t promise you that. There’s a good chance that I will continue to compliment you even more in the future after this, whether you approve of it or not.”

Hank grumbled more and layed down more fully, but kept a hand around Connors'. He used his other to tug a blanket over himself, realizing how exposed he was.

Connor glanced between his hand and Hank’s face and made the assumption that he didn’t want him to leave. He settled down more beside him, uncaring of his own nakedness and the cool air around him. “I know humans usually have a refractory period, but perhaps we could try something else later? I’d like to learn more from you.”

Hank looked up to him again with raised brows. "Christ Connor. Youre gonna be the death of me..." His voice held amusement, but all he could think of was...how did he get this lucky??

“I certainly hope I’m not the death of you.” Connor blinked at him but his lips held that half smirk even as he spoke. He squeezed his hand gently. “Maybe I could clean the house in the mean time... I don’t want to waste this day off...”

"No no no" Hank scowled. "Don't you dare leave" He slipped his arm around Connor and pulled him closer, their bodies flush. "Didn't your research tell you anything about post coital cuddling?"

Connor slipped closer to him, easily pulled by the other man, and pressed his hands to his chest. Feeling Hanks heartbeat under his fingertips was comforting. “Oh, right. ‘Cuddling’ after sexual activity improves intimacy and bonds between partners and spouses and can further improve the relationship.”

"Sometimes I really wish you wouldn't say that shit out loud, you make me feel like a fool" Hank sighed and pressed another kiss to Connors lips, an arm still draped around him.

“What did I say wrong?” Connor murmured the words against Hanks lips but felt himself melt more against his body. Although not as physically strong, Hank was bigger and the difference between them was an odd mixture of unsettling and comforting.

"Nothin..." His beard brushed against Connors chin, then his jaw bone as he kissed along there. He wanted to stay like this forever...entangled with Connor. He felt safer, more comfortable, more loved than he could remember feeling...maybe forever.

“Okay.” Connor let the topic slip from his mind and concentrated on the feeling of Hanks beard against his skin. His synthetic nerves tickled under his skin from the touch. “I love your body, Hank.” He said the words before processing them and felt a rush of anxiety sweep through him. Humans were cautious of that word and Connor wasn’t even sure he knew what ‘love’ was, or what it truly meant. He stiffened slightly and began compiling a list of things to say in return, to take it back and make things okay again.

Hank’s heart nearly flipped again, and he paused. "You...seriously?" He pulled away to meet his eyes, his own searching, maybe for truth. That was a statement he DEFINITELY hadn't heard in years, not since he and his ex wife had first gotten together and he was at least 30 pounds lighter, and even that was rare. Connor's choice of words had also startled him. Love? Did he really...love? He knew Connor cared for him, he was finally ready to believe that, but the idea of him 'loving' even just his body seemed...hard to fathom.

Connor blinked at him, his thirium turning cold. Instead of saying one of the dozens of reasons he found suitable online, he spoke his opinion. “I’m serious. I think it’s really wonderful.” He pushed aside the fact that Hanks BMI was nationally high and his other health risks associated with that. “Your skin and hair... It’s very soft. You’re quite strong as well.”

"Yeah, but you could probably snap me in two, huh?" Hank smirked a little, face relaxing.

“I don’t think I would be able to do that as easily as you imply, but it’s certainly possible.” Connor curled his fingers into Hank’s chest hair and let his mind idly count each strand and compare the shades of gray to white. “I would never want to hurt you anyways.”

Hank’s chest felt tight, but in the best way. It was love, he knew, but he wouldn't verbalize it. He couldn't. Despite everything he was still so scared of rejection. He leaned up and kissed Connor's forehead sweetly.

Connor relaxed and took a steady breath, relieved that Hank hadn’t taken it the wrong way. He fell quiet and curled closer to him, shifting his long legs and tightening his hold around his middle. “This is... Nice.” He murmured. It was nice to let his guard down and have his insistent programming take a back seat for a while.

Hank sighed against him in agreement, feeling the haze of sleep coming on. He hugged him and closed his eyes, breathing slowly evening out.

Connor watched Hank’s face as the other man dozed off and analyzed him, took mental pictures, and counted every blemish on his face. He adored Hank and the way he looked, the way he felt against him, and the the way he made him feel. After he had observed him for a while he decided that Hank would probably disapprove of his staring and he shut his eyes, willing his body to go into stasis. It wasn’t hard; his body had been put through a new sort of exertion and he was an android’s equivalent of exhausted. His LED slowed and he fell into his dreamless yet content standby.


	7. Alive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A romantic stroll, a blow job, a panic attack, and a drunken late night heart to heart.

Hank sighed in his sleep, seeming the epitome of peaceful and content.

Connor lay snuggled against him, his face blank and his LED slowly phasing in and out.

Hank stirred and woke, eyes landing on Connor beside him. He smiled, watching him a moment. It was his turn to gaze at the other man while he slept. He lifted his hand to Connor's cheek, gently tracing his finger over his cheek.

The gentle touch against his cheek was enough to rouse Connor, his LED blinking into a solid blue, and his eyes slowly slid open. He took a moment to accurately focus on Hank and offered him a sleepy smile. “How was your sleep?”

"It was incredible. Did you uh...stasis?" Hank slid his fingers down over his shoulder to rest on his arm.

“I did.” Connor smiled and stretched his legs as system started to function normally again. “I figured it would be better than laying here and staring at you. I didn’t want to ‘creep’ you out.”

"I should have said you could go if you wanted to..." Hank just kept dusting his fingers over him.

“I didn’t want to go. My stasis was quite enjoyable, I think.” Connor watched Hank’s face and was comforted by the touch against his skin.

Hank smiled, then stretched a little with a groan, before sitting up. "I should have cleaned us up before falling asleep..." He remarked in embarrassment at the mess on both their abdomens and stomachs.

“That’s alright. I’m waterproof. I can just clean myself up later.” Connor’s eyes glanced over Hanks stomach and he nearly reeled at how wonderful he looked. He reached out and slid his fingers over the soft hair on Hanks belly, and over the dried cum.

Hank watched his fingers, the touch sending shivers through him that he fought to hide. For some reason Connor seemed more than happy to touch him, and he finally caved to his need to just enjoy it. "We should probably bring Sumo for a walk. He's probably getting antsy knowing we're home and not paying attention to him..."

“You’re right. He’s probably getting hungry as well.” Connor sat up with a cheerful smile, his LED a pretty blue in the low light. His hair was disheveled and around his neck were bluish hickeys- thirium that had gathered under the surface of his skin that hadn’t yet been dispelled.

Hank reached out to touch one gently. "Didn't expect that...we better hide those before we go back to work..." If people were already spreading rumors he hated to think what those marks would cause. But besides that small worry, Connor looked so positively wonderful, it nearly took his breath away. His hair looked so ridiculous and messy and painfully cute, and it also thrilled him to remember it was his doing.

“What?” Connor ran his fingers over one of the hickeys. “Oh, that should be gone by tomorrow. My body is good at repairing itself of minor thirium damages such as this one.” He ran a diagnostic on the minor wounds and set the priority to high; it Hank wanted them gone, he would do his best to get rid of them. He then shimmied down the bed and stood there naked as he looked for his clothes on the floor.

Hank nodded at the statement, and watched him. "I should shower" He sighed, but he wasn't willing to peel his eyes off Connor just yet. He wanted to touch him again, badly, but he had already done kind of a piss poor job of 'taking it slow' to begin with, so he resisted the urge.

Connor nodded and gave a small ‘oh’ as he retrieved his briefs and stepped into him neatly. “I’ll give Sumo some food and attention while you shower.”

"Thank you" Hank smiled a little. He hurriedly pulled on boxers, still not interested in laying it all out there if he could help it, then gathered some clothes and a towel before heading off to the bathroom.

Connor wandered into the kitchen, still in his briefs, and worked on using a paper towel to get the dried ‘genetic material’ off of his body. He thought fondly of its components as he did so, how it was uniquely Hanks, then disposed of it when his skin was at least 95% clear of traces of it. Acceptable. He reached to get Sumo some food and let himself get lost in thought for a minute, the fans in his memory whirring as he recounted the intimate moment they shared earlier.

Hank showered, taking a longer time than normal. He also replayed the event, struggling not to get himself going too much. He couldn't tire himself out too much if Connor was interested in doing more. His comment about refractory time had been a doozy; it implied Connor had unlimited stamina, something he very much lacked. Yet another possible disappointment to be worried about. Once he was clean he got out and pulled on some clothes, pausing to look in his sticky note framed mirror. He noticed that today, maybe his eyes were a little more bright, and his mouth didn't rest in its usual frown...maybe the reasons Connor cared about him were a little easier for him to see.

In the time that Hank showered, Connor had fed Sumo, made Hanks bed, and dressed himself a fresh pair of clothes consisting of pants and his soft, brown sweater. He occupied his remaining time by doting on Sumo, patting his ears and kissing his head, then wandered over to the couch to sit and wait patiently.

Hank walked out, dressed in casual clothes, and smiled to see the two beings he cared about most in the world sitting together on the couch. "Hey"

“Hello, Hank.” Connor looked up at him with a smile, the corner of his lips spread more than it usually did. It seemed he wasn’t used to smiling but living with Hank changed that completely. He gave Sumo a gentle head pat. “Did you enjoy your shower?”

"Yes it was nice. You need to get cleaned up or anything?" Hank looked at him as he stood beside him, giving Sumo a good scritch on the head that made his tongue loll out.

“No. I have already adequately cleaned myself off.” Connor watched Hank for a moment then stood. “Sumo- ready for your walk?”

Sumo leapt clumsily off the couch, bouncing excitedly and making deep whining sounds of excitement. Hank laughed "Alright calm down Cujo." He leashed the dog, and handed the end to Connor. 

Hanks laughter rung strong in Connors auditory sensors and he savored and stored it. It wasn’t a common sound but it caused a curious, dizzying reaction in Connors head whenever he heard it. He took the leash and started for the door, quickening his pace to keep alongside the eager dog.

Hank smiled and followed them out the door close behind. Sumo trotted along happily, tail wagging, sniffing every item he passed.

Connor walked beside him and easily kept the big dog under control. Judging by his sensors it was a cool night and would only get colder as the months went on. Winter was creeping up on them- Connors first one ever- and he wondered what sort of clothing Hank wore to combat the fierce cold of the region.

Hank walked with his hands stuffed in his jacket pocket. He watched Sumo happily, then his eyes moved up to Connor. He felt like he had a thousand things to say to him, but yet couldn't vocalize them.

Connor glanced over at him, catching his eye, and offered him a cheerful smile. The other man looked like he was thinking hard or that something was bothering him, but he wouldn’t ask about it. Hank seemed otherwise content and he didn’t want to potentially upset him by asking questions. ‘Go slow’ he had said, and his words rang in Connors memory.

Hank walked close to him, and their hands brushed. He imagined walking his dog while holding Connor's hand and what an achingly pure image it was.

Connor met his eyes again and let their hands brush more intentionally this time, letting his fingertips bump Hanks palm teasingly. Even the slightest of touches made his body tingle as if the other man was made of pleasant static energy. It filled him with a feeling close to the beginnings of adrenaline, exhilaration, and he couldn’t get enough of it.

Hank slowly, as if testing it, slipped his fingers into Connors palm. If Connor pulled away he could try to play it off as a silly accident right? But if not...

Connor was quick to complete the action and slid their palms together, this fingers lacing gently with Hanks. The warmth burst underneath his skin pleasantly.

Hank held his hand, fighting back an embarrassing blush as he walked, heart picking up just a little.

Connor picked up on Hanks heartbeat in both his ears and on the steady pulse against his hand and took some sort of pride in knowing he was the one doing this to him. The usual hard, serious Hank was soft and flustered from some simple hand holding, and it opened Connors eyes to how much emotion truly affected a human’s lifestyle.

They walked in comfortable quiet as a few more flakes if snow fell from the sky. Hank glanced at Connor as they passed under streetlamps to get a look at the flakes as they landed on Connors' synthetic lashes.

Connor glanced upwards as it started to lightly snow and did a search on what the weather would be like for the remainder of the evening. He had only ever felt truly cold in his life once- when he was inside his own consciousness, looking for that exit to free himself from the prison of his own mind. It had been snowing then too but this time was different. It wasn’t a rush for his life, a bitter cold that felt like it would destroy his parts from the inside out. It was calm, peaceful, and he couldn’t feel the frozen particles as they fluttered down to rest on his skin. According to the weather predictions, it would stay cold for the rest of the week, maybe even freezing. “It’s nearly winter, Hank.”

"Yeah. Not excited for that honestly." Winter meant that bitter Michigan cold, and snow he'd have to shovel. It meant going out into the field for cases would suck a lot more, and he should probably get new boots. It meant his fourth christmas without Cole to buy presents for.

“I’ve never experienced winter before.” Connor glanced over at Hank and offered his hand a gentle squeeze. He could tell the other man was upset about something again. “Is it that awful?”

Hank broke out of his spiraling thoughts to look at Connor. "Do you feel cold?"

“I did... Once.” Connor trailed off knowing Hank would have no idea what he was talking about. He wasn’t even sure of what had really happened then either. “But otherwise no. I don’t.”

Hank watched him curiously. "Once?" He squeezed his hand gently, urging him to go on.

Connor felt his mind slip a little when he brought up the memory. Being in the zen garden was something he still didn’t quite understand or like recalling; the whole experience had been frightening. “I was struggling in my own programming. It was cold, freezing. Snowing so hard I could barely see or think. I was scared. But I managed to find the exit and escape it.”

"In...your mind?" Hank had slowly stopped walking now, and since he was holding Connors hand it urged him to stop to look at him. He was frowning, but his face was gentle, reassuring. He realized he knew very little about how Connor experienced the world, always assuming it was much like a human.

Connor slowed to a halt when Hank did and felt his first tighten around Sumos leash a little more tightly. “During... Everything... There were points where I would disappear into my mind. It was Cyberlife’s doing, controlled by them, to monitor how my missions were progressing.” He remembered Amanda and how warm she had been towards him with each success. “But as time passed and the issue of my deviancy emerged, the atmosphere became unfriendly and violent.”

Hank watched him, surprise visible in his features. "Shit Connor I thought you were just sending them brain emails, not going in for virtual reality meetings..." He rubbed his thumb over the top of his hand gently. He could tell whatever had happened had been traumatic to him, and it made him a mixture of sad and furious.

Connor nodded slightly but was lost in his own thoughts for a moment. If he hadn’t given over to his deviancy, hadn’t found that exit in the zen garden, then where would he be today? What would have happened to the other androids? Where would Hank be? He recalled the last time he had been there vividly and the fight he had with Cyberlife over the control of his own consciousness. “Yeah.”

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want. Lord knows I'm shit at talking about my feelings. But...i'm here to listen." Hank lifted Connors hand and held it tenderly to his lips.

Connor looked back over to him and was snapped out of his thoughts by the press of Hanks lips to his skin. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to talk about it or if Hank would even understand it at all. “Thank you. I really... Really appreciate it.”

"Want to keep walking?" Hank watched him carefully.

“Y-yes. Let’s go.” Connor started walking again, his hand tight in Hanks grip. He pushed the past events away and tried to focus on the present, even with how distracting the topic was.

Hank nodded and walked again, but kept even closer to Connor, protectively. They came to the end of the walk and Sumo headed for the front door, shaking snow off his coat. Hank brushed the flakes off his beard.

Connor let Sumo in an slipped off his shoes, not bothering to brush the snow off his sweater or hair. “Would you like some dinner, Hank? I could heat up some leftovers from the previous night.”

"That sounds perfect Connor, but I can do it, you don't have to" Hank hung up his coat this time, and kicked off his own shoes.

“I’d like to do it for you.” Connor reached out to smooth Hanks coat down, a habit of his, then went to put Sumos leash away and head into the kitchen.

Hank smiled a little and followed him. "You're too good to me you know" He leaned in the doorway to the kitchen, watching him.

Connor felt warmth blossom under his skin again and smiled as he retrieved food from the fridge. “You’ve been good to me too, Hank. You’ve given me a place to stay...among other things. This is the least I can do.”

Hank crossed his arms, enjoying just watching him. Sumo bounded over as he pulled out the food, eyes begging for scraps.

Connor smiled fondly down at Sumo and reached into the cabinet to pull out a separate plate. He arranged a plate of turkey on it neatly for the dog and set it on the floor, patting Sumos head as he did so. When he was done he finished preparing Hanks meal and delicately plated the reheated food, set it on the table, and retrieved cutlery for him.

Hank sat as Sumo wolfed down his food. He watched Connor work diligently, and when the food was in front of him he smiled "Thank you Connor, smells great second time around too"

“I’m glad you think so.” Connor laid out the cutlery neatly and slid into the seat across from him, hands folded in his lap.

Hank ate happily, seeming quite pleased. Once he finished he cleaned up, going to do the dishes and putting things away.

Connor rose to help him with the dishes. “Let me do it. You are supposed to be home sick, after all. Go and relax.”

"Oh come on, Ive got it. Go play fetch with Sumo or something" Hank shooed him away.

Connor blinked, made a face, then turned to head into the living room, calling Sumo in with him as he went. He started playing a game of tug of war with the dog and his favorite bone, laughing when the dog pulled too hard or made whines of frustration.

Hank glanced over to watch him, smiling and laughing as he cleaned, his heart swelling at how absolutely perfect Connor was. When he finished he walked over to them.

Connor let Sumo have the bone and straightened himself when Hank approached, brushing off his sweater. Being covered in dog hairs was something he would have to live with from now on, he realized.

Hank smiled warmly at him. "Sumo's really glad to have you around, you know"

“I’m glad to be around Sumo.” Connor leaned down and gave the dog a few rough scratches behind the ears. “I like dogs and animals in general. It’s interesting to observe how having a pet plays a role in human society.”

"Why do you like animals?" Hank asked curiously, folding his arms.

“They’re creatures with complex emotion in themselves but they express it differently than humans. It’s interesting to analyze them and their societal groups.”

Hank nodded in understanding. He watched Connor a moment, then took his hand. "How often do you analyze me?"

The question caught Connor off guard and he held his hand tight. “I.. Well... Pretty often. Most of the time it’s not something I can stop; my processors just initiate it automatically. I’m sorry if that makes you uncomfortable.”

"What do you learn?" Hank looked intrigued, still holding his hand gently.

Connor seemed a little flustered but continued. “At this point my scans don’t tell me a lot. Heart rate, blood pressure, weight and height, and temperature. Other minor medical anomalies if they arise.” He rubbed his thumb over his hand. “If I wanted to do a more thorough scan then I could.”

"What does that mean? Does it involve drinking my blood?" Hank smirked. 

“I suppose. I could certainly obtain a lot of information from blood.” Connor looked thoughtful. “Analyzing your semen from earlier was extremely informative as well.”

Hank flushed again "Jesus Connor thats disgusting!" He hoped his strained voice was convincing but he knew Connor would pick up on his heart rate anyway.

“It’s not disgusting. I was simply analyzing it.” The way Hanks heartbeat picked up made him smile. “It’s just genetic material... Nothing to get so flustered over.”

"Connor I know you're playing coy right now, you know damn well what you're doing..." Hank chastised, and slid a hand to Connor's hip.

“I’m just being honest, Hank. Granted the result was a little flawed because my own, uh, ‘output’ was included in the mix...” The touch on his hip was an unexpected surprise but Connor stayed unmoving, the hint of a smile on his lips.

"Yeah, what was that anyway?" Hank’s voice was genuinely curious, and he absentmindedly splayed his fingers over Connor's hip.

“It was a viscous product that my body produces. It’s the same that makes up my saliva and tear ducts, lubricates my joints...” Connor trailed off, looking thoughtful. “It’s just a byproduct, and doesn’t contain anything genetically.”

Hank nodded. "I figured it was probably pretty harmless" He was still amazed that the perverts at cyberlife had even given Connor the ability to ejaculate, but he certainly wasn't about to complain.

“I don’t think Cyberlife would have given me the ability if it had posed a threat to my or another humans well being.” A smirk toyed at the corner of his lips as he watched Hank.

"Honestly Connor I wouldn't have thought they'd have give you the ability in the first place, but here we are" Hank chuckled.

“Just about every android that comes out of Cyberlife is equipped with the ability. I just never thought I would make use of it.” Connor caught his eye and gave a playing wink. 

"Well Im uh, glad you did" Hank replied somewhat bashfully. He watched his eyes a moment, before leaning in to give him a firm kiss on the lips.

“Me too.” Connor took half a step closer and met him with another kiss. He couldn’t help but analyze him again, tasting what was uniquely Hank, and lifted a hand to press it gently to his chest.

Hank sighed against his lips, eyes shutting. He slid his other hand around Connor and up to his hairline, feeling all the buzzed little hairs there. Every detail that made him so human. His mouth deepened the kiss, surging against Connor's hungrily.

Connors fingers tightened against his shirt, his fingers grasping at the soft cotton (he analyzed) underneath. Kissing Hank made his head swim and his thoughts foggy as though he were already overheating and he pressed his tongue into his mouth almost desperately.

Hank slid his fingers into his hair as he kissed him, and his body pressed Connor's into the wall behind him.

Connor stepped back until his back hit the wall and let his teeth nip at Hanks lower lip curiously. A warning popped up alerting him that he was in a vulnerable position, that he should prepare for attack, and he closed out of it immediately. Instead he tugged Hank closer by the shirt and tried to skim any article on kissing techniques that he could find at the same time.

The tug from Connor illicitated a little groan from Hank, muffled in the kiss. He pressed their bodies as close as his tum would allow, the fingers still on Connors hip pressing into him. Connor’s hand slipped lower, his blunt nails dragging down the front of his shirt, and he pulled away to suck in a breath of cool air. His fans were already working overdrive and he shuddered under Hanks grasp.

Hank breathed in as well, and opened his eyes to gaze at him. "Shit..." Connor panted for a few more seconds and watched him carefully, his hair a little disheveled. “Am I... Is kissing me okay?”

"Christ Connor, yes its okay, its more than okay...its so good..." _Its the most wonderful thing ive felt, I need more, I need it like air…_ Hank's hands trembled a little. "Am I okay? Is this okay?"

Connors fingers tapped gently over Hanks middle, over the soft stomach underneath. “Hank, it’s really great. I may not be the best judge of kissing but... I find it to be quite pleasant with you.” His breath was a little shaky but he watched him with a genuine expression.

Hank laughed nervously. "You're sweet....I hope you aren't lying..." He looked down, watching his fingers, then met his eyes again.

“I wouldn’t lie to you.” Connor wanted to rip Hank’s shirt off and slide his hands over his stomach and chest, let his artificial skin melt away, and experience the sensations it brought. But instead he watched him, his fingers pressed gently to his shirt, and looked him in the eyes firmly.

Hank blushed again and decided to hide it by kissing Connor again hungrily. He was embarrassed, but he loved feeling Connor's fingers slide over him.

Connor leaned into the kiss and returned it just as eagerly and his body lifted off the wall to press against him. Feeling a little more bold he reached down and slipped his fingertips under the hem of his shirt, feeling the soft hairs at the base of Hank’s belly.

Hank shivered a little, but didn't pull away. He nipped lightly at Connors lip, raking his teeth over it.

Connor took this as encouragement to move on, and slid his hand upwards more. The skin on his hand dissolved away and he gasped into his mouth at the sudden influx of sensation traveling down his arm.

Connor's hand left tingles of pleasure in its wake. Hank groaned surprisingly softly into his mouth in response, and his pants were starting to tent.

Connors hands slid up to to Hank’s chest as he was filled with even more sensation, the lack of synthetic skin along his palms a direct assault to his nerve laden plastic. He made a soft noise, his teeth biting down against Hanks lower lip as he did so, and pressed his hips flush to his leg. He was starting to get hard just from touching the other man's skins, overwhelmed in the sensations that filled him.

"Christ Connor..." Hank murmured against his lips. He moved his kiss to Connors shoulderblade. "Y-you get me going so fast..."

Connor just groaned in response as the warm plastic of his fingers slid over Hanks nipples. He was consumed with what he determined was desire, or lust, or something of that nature, but his body was too gone to find the right word. He wanted to press the other man down on the bed, kiss every inch of him, and make him feel as good as possible. “H-Hank. Please.”

"W-what...?" Hank breathed out against him, letting out a quiet sound as Connor ghosted over his nipple. He held both of Connor's hips now.

“I want you again. I want to touch you. Won’t you let me?” Connor’s hot breath radiated off his shoulder and he kept his hips pressed still against him, as if not wanting to move.

Hank panted softly. How could he possibly resist?? "Y-yes. Should we go back to the bed?"

Connor hummed in agreement and pushed off the wall, his hands slipping out from Hanks shirt as he did. “I think that’s the best option.”

"Alright" Hank nodded and smirked a little, then headed off.

Connor went along with him, feeling better about the situation as he went. His mind continued to skim even as he stepped in the bedroom and he saved all sorts of positions and information that could be helpful in the situation to one of his folders.

Hank shut the door behind them, and looked back to Connor. "You seem pretty eager right now...do you want to lead?"

“I... Well... Do you think that’s a good idea?” Connor watched him and felt the confidence slowly drain from his body. What if he messed something up? What if he disappointed Hank?

"I do. I trust you Connor. And you've already been pretty fucking good at pleasing me. So..." Hank sat on the bed, looking up at him. 

“Alright, Hank.” Connor watched him curiously for a moment, his LED swirling yellow, then took a step forward. Having made up his mind, he dropped to his knees by his legs and started reaching for the buttons on Hanks pants.

Hank watched him, heart starting to speed up, and rested his hands beside him on his bed to steady himself, before spreading his legs a little for Connor. 

Connor undid Hank’s pants and shimmied his underwear down to expose his cock. “I think you’ll be pleased to know that since androids do not need to consume food, we weren’t developed with a gag reflux. It was deemed unnecessary.” He tried to keep his composure even as he internally pulled up videos and advice on how to properly give a blow job.

Hank looked a bit overwhelmed at that knowledge, and shifted to drop his pants around his ankles. "Holy Shit thats uh...thats good to know..." His thick cock was already pretty stiff, though not fully erect.

“If I do anything wrong please let me know, okay?” Connor reached out to run his fingers over Hanks length and couldn’t stop himself from scanning it. It was bigger than average and still not fully aroused, and he wrapped his fingers firmly around it to give it a gentle squeeze. 

Hank let out a soft groan, gripping the sheets under his hands a bit tighter. "Alright...and, Connor, if you dont like it and want to stop...thats ok alright? Y-you dont have to do anything you arent enjoying..."

Connor glanced up at him even as he leaned in and wrapped his lips around the head. His mouth was warm and wet with the saliva that he used to analyze with and he swept his tongue over the head slowly. Hank was wrong in thinking he would dislike it; he loved every part of Hank and tasting him on his tongue made his eyelids flutter. 

Hank made a sound a bit like a choked yelp, head falling back and eyes shutting as the sensations hit him. "F-Fuck Connor..." His voice was strained, and he felt his cock twitch in Connor's mouth. 

Connor licked around the head, tasting all he could of Hanks warm skin, before wrapping his lips around him. His free hand slunk upwards, his fingers slipping around the base of his cock snugly.

Hank panted softly, head righting, and he looked down to watch Connor with heavily lidded eyes. His hand came up to gently slip into the android's soft hair.

Connor’s gaze shifted upwards when he felt Hank look down and their eyes met for a brief moment. He gauged his expression as a positive one and slowly took more of him into his mouth. It was a stretch, and he scooted closer in an attempt to take more of him in.

Hank’s hand trembled a little in Connor's hair. The android’s mouth was warm and wet and tight and perfect...and he was honestly impressed at how well he was doing. "Fuck...so good Connor...."

Connor was struggling with the girth, feeling the mechanics that made up his jaw stretch uncomfortably, and he pulled off slightly to suck at the head. He put all his concentration into his work and started to bob his head slowly.

Hank sighed as Connor bobbed, and petted his head reassuringly. His cock was already leaking into the androids mouth.

Connor’s tongue lapped up what he had to offer, and his system automatically analyzed all of it, the information pleasingly overwhelming. He squeezed his hand a little tighter around him, then attempted to deep throat him again with more confidence, and hummed around him.

When Connor took him in deep again Hank gasped. "Fuck! C-Connor Im close..."

Connor didn’t seem to care and instead kept lapping at him, his eyes flicking upwards to observe his expression.

Hank looked extremely overstimulated in the best way, and his legs quivered. He came hard, thrusting his hips a little accidentally into Connor's mouth.

Connor held his legs down with surprising strength and swallowed around the head eagerly. Impulses spread down his spine as information overloaded his body in the best way and he moaned against him, taking all he had to offer.

Hank’s cock spurted several times into Connor's welcoming mouth, and he gasped and moaned, white knuckling the bed sheets. "Oh fuck Connor...oh christ....I love you..."

Connor swallowed, absorbing everything until Hank was spent, then pulled his mouth away slowly. Hanks words seemed far away at first, then rang clear in his ears where he dissected the meaning over and over. He googled, searched, questioned, and translated it into every language, feeling as though his hard drive was suddenly short circuiting.

What was love? Could a human truly love an android? 

He sagged forward and pressed his forehead to Hanks knee, hiding his face as he panted and had some sort of internal meltdown.

Hank trembled and panted, his whole body feeling the waves of the orgasm drift through it, and he slowly laid back on the bed, exhausted and spent. His legs were limp on either side of Connor and his eyes were shut tight.

Connor didn’t move aside from letting his hands fall to rest on one of Hanks calves. His LED spun a staggered yellow. He had been created to believe that love didn’t exist for an android but for a human to express it to an android...? Hank must have been caught in the throes of passion. How could he actually, truly love him?

"C-Connor...will you come up here? Are you falling asleep down there or what..." Hank grumbled, breath slowly evening out.

Connor slowly rose, his body unsteady, and crawled onto the bed quietly beside him. His body felt strange, like his consciousness and the machine he was in were two separate entities, and his LED flickered a confused yellow. He looked to Hanks face, his own a little blank, with hazy eyes.

"Are you...is everything alright?" Hank frowned, meeting his eyes. Had he done something wrong?? He tried to think if he could have hurt him (but Connor really was stronger) or what he might have...said....

oh.

He had done it hadn't he.

He had said the big L word during his big O, and clearly it...hadn't been well received. His brain shuffled hurriedly through possible excuses, deflections, anything. He hadn't meant it...except he had. 

He'd felt it for weeks, but Connor...Connor cared about him, he accepted that, but love was a different ballgame. If androids were capable of it to begin with, then he certainly wasn't worthy of Connor's.

“Do you... You hadn’t meant to say that, right?” Connor’s voice came out as quiet, confused, his LED blinking rapidly. It wasn’t possible. He was a machine, just plastic and wires operating on some circuit board of hard drive and memory. A glorified computer. Hanks love was probably akin to how someone loved their car other material possession. It wasn’t human love, because well...

Hank’s breath caught in his throat and his chest tightened. Well, this was it. He just couldn't lie, not to those sweet puppy eyes, and then Connor would probably get uncomfortable and everything would be ruined. But he just couldn't lie. 

"I...I did. I mean...in that uh...moment it uh...slipped out...but...its true." He braced himself for the results.

Connor felt like his head was heavy and made of lead instead of plastic. “I’m just an android, Hank. You couldn’t... Why would you...” He felt sick and anxious. He thought of his times in the zen garden where he had disappeared from the real world and how Amanda had told him of what his purpose was. Androids couldn’t love or be loved. Yet... He knew he loved Hank.

"Connor...Of course I can. And I do. Im sorry if that’s...not what you want. But I can't help it. You're...not just an android, you’re...christ you’re everything Connor... " His voice was soft, brows furrowed, and he didn't meet Connor's eyes.

“Of course I want it, Hank, but how could you love an android? I’m not human... not flesh and bone.” Connor looked up at his face with furrowed eyebrows and his voice suddenly grew strong. “I can’t give you all the things you need. I’m not... I don’t understand.”

Hank frowned, trying himself to understand. It was the most confusing rejection he'd ever gotten. "Connor...what do you mean? Youve...youve already given me more than I ever could have hoped for..."

Connor’s system threatened a partial shutdown to push his deviancy away and let his programming take over. It was the easiest way to deal with the situation but he ignored the urge. Instead he grit his teeth together and pressed a hand to his head. “I love you, Hank. I love your body and your soul and everything that makes you... You. But... I’m just a computer. I shouldn’t be capable of love. I-I don’t even know what that word truly means but I feel it. And... Why should you fall in love with something that can't even understand that?”

Hank could tell something was wrong now, that Connor was truly struggling, and he sat up, alarmed, and pulled Connor into his arms. "Easy there kid....I'm not asking for anything back...that's...not what love is. If you can't grasp it, or even if you really can't feel it...that's okay...don't hurt yourself..."

The statement seemed to radiate through and upset him and he sagged against Hanks body. “I do feel it. I’m just... I’m not supposed to feel it.” His LED still glowed a troubled yellow, cycling and stuttering as he tried to work out the processes in his system.

Hank held him, rubbing his back gently "Shhhh....its ok..." He kissed the top of his head.

Connor fell silent and pressed his head to his chest, trying to focus on Hanks heartbeat. He thought of those two girls, the androids who had been in love, and thought of their bodies in the alley.

"I love you Connor. That's all I know. And if you love me too then that's more than I ever could’ve hoped for..." Hank sighed.

Connor kept his face planted against Hank’s chest and gave the slightest semblance of a nod. It would take time but he would teach his body and force his programming to catch up with his feelings and allow him to love. His hands fisted in Hanks shirt. “I’m sorry. I’ve ruined the moment.”

"You didn't Connor, you didn't" Hank kissed his head again. "Its okay..."

Connor stayed like that, his hands tight against Hank’s shirt, and didn’t move. He didn’t want Hank to look at his face.

"Connor talk to me. Tell me what you're thinking. What you're feeling." He was almost afraid to ask, but he knew the android was having some internal struggles and his protectiveness won over.

“Two sides of my programming are fighting for my control at the moment. It is not a pleasant feeling.” Connor said the words against his chest. Those two androids had loved each other and look where it had gotten them. If Hank really loved Connor then he could be putting his own life in danger too. Society could see him as an outcast... The image of the graffiti that was spray painted on Hanks house flashed into his vision. ‘Not Alive’ it had said. How could you truly love something that wasn’t alive?

Hank frowned, fingers trailing gently over his back. "Is...is there anything I can do?" His voice was surprisingly small, weak. He hated feeling powerless and uncertain.

“No. Just keep holding me. Okay?” Connor shut his eyes and gave a soft, shaky breath. Over and over he quit out of these thoughts, persisting as that unfeeling side of him tried to take control, until his body started to finally calm down.

Hank was happy to oblige, believing fully that he could stay that way indefinitely. He rubbed his back gently, and pressed occasional soft kisses to the top of his head and his forehead.

Eventually the fog faded somewhat and Connor pulled away to rub a hand over his eyes. “I’m sorry. That was an... Unintentional reaction. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

"Its fine Connor. Im sorry if I upset you..." Hank frowned still, clearly concerned. 

“You didn’t upset me. Like I said, my body over processed my reaction.” Connor smoothed his hand over Hanks shirt slowly. “I’m okay now.”

Hank sighed and reached up to stroke his cheek gently.

Connor watched his face but was still a little out of it, looking more exhausted than he ever had. “Was... What I did before adequate? I had searched for different ways to give a ‘blowjob’ but there were many courses of action that I was advised to take.”

"Connor I think you know damn well that I enjoyed it" Hank smirked, cocking a brow. "Now relax ok? I'd do something for you but I think you need a break right now."

“Yeah, that.. That sounds good.” Connor’s head was buzzing, like his mind was filled with insects. He slowly shifted to move away from Hank, to get up and head to the couch to enter stasis, like he had every night before.

Hank frowned and his heart went cold as Connor got up. He wanted to say something but his words got stuck in his tight throat. Ok. Connor didn't want to stay. The thought hurt him more than he was prepared for and he looked away, grabbing blankets to pull over himself.

Connor cast a glance over his shoulder at Hank, taking notice of how cold he seemed, and he felt the anxiety swell in him again. He had ruined the moment. Hank didn’t want him there. He stood and fixed himself before leaving and shutting the door behind him.

That night, Connor dreamt. He curled up on the couch and entered stasis and felt nothing. then felt everything all at once. 

He was in the zen garden and Amanda was there. She was yelling, screaming, and the blizzard was worse than it had ever been. His teeth were chattering and the cold pierced him through his Cyberlife coat and down to his steel frame. He couldn’t understand what Amanda was saying but as she screamed, two figures rose up beside her. The two androids, the girls in love, and they were bleeding, blue thirium pouring from their eyes, their hands clasped. Connor was crawling in the snow, ice crusted around his fingers and face and...

He woke up. His stasis ended and he sat up feeling like the blizzard was still surrounding him. He was cold even though his sensors was fine, the temperature was normal, and... There was no snow. He was in Hanks living room and it was dark. The time was 2 in the morning. And... 

Hank? Where was Hank? 

His thirium regulator was working overtime and his LED blinked a persistent, confused red. He slipped off the couch and stumbled to his feet, still in his sweater and slacks, and made his way down the hallway to Hanks room.

Hank was dead asleep in bed, an empty bottle of whiskey in the bed beside him that he must have had hidden in his room. He didn't stirr when Connor entered.

Connor watched Hank from the doorway, his eyes scanning over his sleeping form, then shuffled closer to the bed. He crawled onto the bed beside him, his LED a brilliant red, and slipped his arms around the other man’s body.

Hank groaned and shifted awake "C-Connor?" He said groggily, sitting up.

“I dreamt, Hank. I had a dream, and I’m scared.” Connor’s arms were tight around him and his breath slipped hot over the other man’s shoulder. 

Hank frowned and pulled him close "Its ok....it wasn't real Connor....whatever it was, youre safe..."

“It was cold. I’m freezing.” Connor was shuddering in his arms, even though his body was warm to the touch... Almost feverish. “Amanda, she was there. The two girls. I was dying...”

"Connor its not real. Youre safe..." Hank held him close to his chest and rubbed his back. "Im here...everything is ok..." As he woke more his voice got less groggy but stayed incredibly gentle.

Connor slowly started to calm from his panic and concentrated on Hank’s steady heartbeat. “I know. You’re okay. I’m okay. We... We’re alive.”

"Yes...you’re alive..." Hank kissed his head softly. He just held Connor, pulling more blankets around them like a protective nest.

“I’m alive.” Connor murmured the words softly. “I’m alive and I’m here. You love me and I love you too, Hank.”

Hank froze momentarily in surprise, but then kissed his head again. "Yes. I love you Connor. Im sorry Im a fuckup, but I love you, and I'd do anything for you, and we're gonna be okay somehow..."

“I... I won’t let anything happen to you.” Connor’s breathing was calming as he settled against his chest. Hank was actually literally teary now and he struggled to hide it. "I know. You won't." He chuckled through his tears.

“I’ll protect you no matter what.” Connor’s voice was solid, though soft, and his LED began phasing from red to yellow to blue

"Christ Connor...I believe you." Hank smiled a little and pulled away to meet his eyes. "And I’d do anything for you, got it? So don’t you dare go trying to die for me."

Connor’s eyes slipped up to meet Hanks and those blue irises grounded him, brought him back to reality. He was getting lost in them and couldn’t look away. “No promises Hank.”

"Bastard." Hank smiled, tears leaking out.

Connor reached up to touch his tears and wipe them away. He wanted to taste them, to sample them, but resisted.

"Christ Connor, you don't need to draw attention to the fact Im a damn softy..." Hank leaned in and kissed him deeply.

Connor was about to speak, to say something back to the fact that he loved Hank the way he was, but was swept into the kiss. He leaned in and returned it passionately, letting one hand slip up to cup his cheek as he did so.

He slipped his tongue into Connors mouth, less hungrily than previous kisses, more sweetly, needily.

Connor returned the kiss slowly, his tongue pressing into Hanks mouth as he tasted and analyzed him. He shuddered and let his senses be consumed by Hank on his tongue and Hank’s hands on him, making him warmer than he had ever felt before.

Hank slid his hands to Connors hips. "I love you..." He mumbled against his lips, pulling away only enough to breath.

“I love you too, Hank.” Connor’s breathing was shaky and hot on his lips. His hands planted on Hank’s chest and shook slightly. 

"Please stay with me tonight..." Hank mumbled. His breath was thick with whiskey. 

“I will. I won’t leave you.” Connor could taste the whiskey on Hanks kiss and smell it on his breath, but didn’t care. Hank was warm and comforting and that’s all that mattered.

Hank pulled him to lay down beside him. His brain was very foggy, but Connor felt so good, and he just wanted to stay as they were.

Connor’s arms stayed tight around the other man and he sighed against his shoulder, breath hot. He didn’t think he could move if he wanted. 

Hank kissed him a couple more times sleepily, mumbling little phrases against him like "I love you" before he dozed off again.

Connor watched him and returned the kisses until Hank dozed off. He was hesitant to enter back into stasis, afraid to dream again, but soon drifted off. His eyes shut and his LED glowed a steady blue in the darkness.


	8. The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first real winter storm hits Detroit, and it takes Connor back to a time he would rather forget.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter deals with Hank and Connor talking about their individual PTSD experiences, and could be triggering to some.

Hank woke pretty late the next day, nearly 11. He had been better since Connor had been in his life about getting to work in a timely fashion, but this had been...special circumstances. He had a hangover, and winced as he blinked awake. 

Connor was there. It hadnt been a dream. He touched his cheek gently.

Connor lay curled up where Hank had left him, eyes shut and eyelashes against his cheek. At the touch his system rebooted and his LED blinked to life again and he stretched, opening his eyes to look at Hank.

Hank smiled a little. "Hey..." Connor looked like some ridiculous painting of an angel and he felt his heart stutter, wishing he himself didn’t look like a tired, hungover old man.

“Good morning, Hank.” Connors lips curled into a small smile and he watched the other man as he woke up. From a scan he could tell that Hank was hungover but he looked... Happy. Tired, but content.

"Are you ok?" Hank asked gently. He took Connor's hand, meeting his eyes. He could remember bits of the night, but it was mostly Connor's terrified face. He had never seen him look so scared, and it pained him.

“I’m okay now.” Connor nodded slightly and recounted the dream from the night before. “I think... I think my system took pieces from my memory and combined them into something while I was in stasis. It must have been some sort of glitch or perhaps a virus. I’ll run a diagnostics check to make sure everything is running okay.”

Hank nodded "As long as you’re ok...I mean, can androids dream Connor? Because it sounded like a nightmare..."

“They’re not supposed to. I’ve never experienced something like it before.” Connor pressed a hand to his head in thought, trying to remember. “It has to be a glitch. What else could it be?”

"I don't know...but maybe other androids are experiencing it too?" Hank squeezed his hand gently.

“Perhaps. I’ll have to research on social media and see if there are any other occurrences. Maybe Markus would know something about it.” Connor returned the squeeze to his hand and gave a quiet sigh.

Hank nodded, relieved. "Whatever it is...we'll get through it. Together." He gave him a reassuring smile.

Connor felt the pump in his body skip a beat; that smile instantly made him feel better. He didn’t answer but leaned close to press a gentle kiss to his lips instead.

Hank kissed him back sweetly, cupping his cheek.

“We need to get ready for work, Hank. We can’t call out again today. Or, should I say, I can’t call out for you.” Connor sighed against his lips.

Hank smirked into the kiss. "I suppose...." He wished they could stay in bed forever.

“The weekend will be here soon enough.” Connor pulled away and moved to slip out of his arms. The nightmare hung heavy in his mind, cold and dark, and he couldn’t fully shake the feeling of dread it brought.

Hank got up begrudgingly, and started to pull on clothes. He seemed a little less uncomfortable in his skin in front of Connor now.

Connor started changing as well, unabashedly stripping out of all his clothes until he was in the nude. He went to his personal drawer and picked out some clothes suited for work, uncaring as he stood naked in front of Hank. The hickeys over his chest seem to have faded somewhat but were still there- deep blue love bites along his collarbones and shoulders.

Hank watched him, his own hands fumbling a bit as his eyes slowly trailed over Connor's body, the curve of his ass, his perfect cock, his strong thighs.

Connor slipped his underwear on followed by his slacks and shirt, buttoning everything with slender fingers. He looked over himself in the mirror and smoothed his hair back in place... A silly thing really, considering his hair was part of the materialized hologram that was a part of his skin.

Meanwhile, Hank dressed and then headed out to put on his shoes, hoping Connor's clothes covered all the hickeys. He looked up as Connor strolled in.

Connor seemed to have picked out a high collared shirt and everything was concealed nicely. He fastened his tie and slipped his shoes on, looking well put together even after the night they had.

Hank looked a little...less perfect, but he did his best, and pulled on his coat before kissing Sumo goodbye, Connor following suit.

Hank got in the car and headed to the station. "Thanks for covering all the uh....love bites." He mumbled.

Connor couldn’t help but smile as he looked out the window. “No need to thank me. I just thought it would be best to conceal them for both yours and my sake.” He touched a few fingers to his own chest. “I don’t mind them. They... Make me think of you.”

Hank flushed, clenching the wheel a little tighter. "Yeah I...can’t say I mind them either....maybe I'll give you some more sometime...in easier to hide places of course..."

“I wouldn’t protest to that.” Connor glanced over at him. “Would you like getting them too, Hank? I know some humans are partial to biting and mild infliction of pain during sexual interactions... but not always.”

"Connor, maybe we don’t have this conversation now, yeah?" Hank replied quickly, not interested in walking into work with a boner.

“Alright. Another time then.” Connor blinked and looked away to sit in silence and brood about hickeys. They were such a silly concept but Connor could understand the appeal of them- plus they felt good.

Once at work Hank walked in, trying to look sick. He was pretty successful. Gavin looked up from his desk, dark eyes narrowing.

Connor paid no mind to Gavin as he went in and sat down, starting to type away at the keyboard in a fervor. Missing a day of work had put them behind and he knew they would have to struggle to keep up with the work load for the day

Hank got to work as well. The fact was, when he actually did his job, he did it damn well, and he got a lot done before they got a call to go out on a site.

 

\----------------------------------  
Over the next week, more protections and benefits for androids began to take shape, thanks to the tireless work of Markus and the others. They may have won the revolution, but there was still an incredible amount of work to be done. Connor finally began receiving a sizable check for his work at the station, including his salary as well as what was being called ‘Back Pay’. 

During that week, Connor was in a good mood. No other dreams had plagued him, and when he contacted Markus and the others about it, they couldn’t relate. It seemed to be his own glitch, his own personal problem that had resolved itself as quickly as it appeared. 

He’d been trying to spend as much time with Hank as possible but work had them busy- with the new laws in effect came cases of people breaking those laws. 

Hank was thrilled about the laws, staying more up to date on the news than he ever had. He hadn't suggested any further forays into intimacy with Connor, seeming quite happy just to be near him. He had however requested Connor move into his room full time. Nothing sexual happened in that time, but he would often wake in the morning with an arm holding Connor close.

As the holiday season came upon them, lights and decor began to dot the city. Connor was puzzled but delighted by the traditions occurring around him. Families transported trees, and cheery music played from stores. There was also a slowly increasing frequency and severity of winter storms.

Connor did not like these storms. Small snowstorms didn’t bother him but seeing news about big whiteouts and blizzards made him hesitate and pause what he was doing. Detroit had yet to receive one of these big storms, but it was clear that he was disturbed by just the idea of them. 

Hank could see Connor was affected by the storms. One evening, there was a pretty decent sized storm on the way. Hank had made sure to prepare just in case, and he looked across to Connor as they sat at work, close to leaving time. Snow was already swirling outside.

Connor had been unsettled the whole day at work, often times looking over to the window nervously. His hands would pause on the keyboard and he would take a soft, steady breath as if to ground himself.

Hank stood after they had sat in silence for some time. "Come on. Lets head out." He pulled on his coat. "Fuck Jeffrey, I dont want to get stuck in the storm."

“Yeah.” Connor nodded and got up but his voice was soft, concerned. He fixed his workspace a little more hurriedly this time, pushing in his chair and fixing his pens with shaky hands.  
Hank waited until they were outside to snag Connor's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze before opening the car door for him.

“I could have gotten it, Hank. But…thank you.” Connor felt a little silly- Hank was being so nice to him- but he slipped into the car. His hands settled into fists on his lap. “Be careful driving, alright?”

"Don't worry I will" Hank drove slow.

Connors eyes stayed locked on the window the whole drive and he didn’t move, his body stiff as a board. He shuffled out of the car once they were home, and was relieved to be inside, the snow sticking to his sweater and hair. He shivered slightly.

Hank hung up his coat, petted Sumo, then looked to Connor. "Its gonna be alright. You’re safe, remember?"

“Yeah, I know. I just... I really don’t like snowstorms.” The weather made everything dark and cold and with it came the anxiety that clouded everything else.

"I know" Hank nodded. He pulled the android into a hug, holding him firmly, but not squeezing him.

Connor leaned heavily against him and tucked his face against his neck. “Thank you, Hank. We didn’t have to leave early though...”

"I wanted to." Hank rubbed his back gently. "Want to go sit on the couch?"

“Aren’t you hungry? Can I cook you some dinner?” He lifted his head to look at him, his LED a slow whirl of yellow.

"I can make a sandwich or something in a bit, don’t worry about me." Hank smiled gently and kissed his forehead.

“A sandwich isn’t a very adequate meal for dinner.” Connor murmured and reached to give his hand a gentle squeeze.

"Its fine Connor, you can make me something to make up for it tomorrow ok?" Hank rolled his eyes and pulled him over to the couch and to sit beside him. He snagged a plush blanket draped over the arm and tugged it around them.

“I... Okay, Hank.” Connor protested for a moment but stumbled to the couch, sitting beside him. The blanket comforted him somewhat but his insides still felt cold; he trembled and pulled it around himself more.

Hank pulled Connor against his chest, cocooning the blanket around them. "I’ve got you..." He said softly, voice barely audible.

Connor shifted closer and pressed his head to Hanks chest, concentrating on the sound of his heartbeat. It rang loud and clear in his mind and was a suitable distraction from the weather outside.

Hank rubbed his back and petted his hair tenderly. He decided to put something more tangible on to distract them, and since death metal seemed a poor choice he went with jazz instead, using a remote to click the stereo on and praying they didn’t lose power at any point for Connors sake.

The jazz soothed Connor and he sighed quietly against Hanks chest. He analyzed the piece, searching for who composed it, what year, and what notes it was made up of.

Sumo abruptly jumped up onto them clumsily, trying to apparently lay across both of them, eliciting a holler from Hank as he tried to shove the sizeable dog into a more comfortable position.

Connor let out a laugh at the dogs antics. “Hey Sumo, it’s okay.” He pulled the dog closer and buried his hands in his soft fur.

Hank scowled, but let Sumo weedle in like he always did, and pet him. Like with most things, Hank pretended to be far more grumpy with Sumo's antics than he ever really was, and he let the dog get away with nearly everything. Sumo gave Connor a wet, loving lap to the cheek.

“Thank you, Sumo.” Connor pulled the dog close and pressed his face into the fur by his neck. It was comforting and warm, having the dog so close by, and he could understand why humans sought out the companionship of pets in the first place.

Hank smiled and watched the two fondly. "Sumo will protect you too, see?"

“I know. He’s a good dog.” Connor mumbled the words into the thick fur and smoothed his palms down his back.

Hankrubbed Connor's arm tenderly, his own still around him. The power flickered a little.

The slight change in electricity alerted Connor, even with his face to Sumos fur, and his head shot up. “Ah- they’re experiencing power outages just a few neighborhoods away.”

Hank stroked his arm. "Even if we lose power, I have a generator in the garage, ok?"

“I’ll be okay, Hank.” Connor’s LED blinked a panicked yellow even as he spoke. “It’s not... Not a big deal.”

"Yeah sure I know Connor." Hank smiled a little, reassuringly.

“It’s just snow, right?” Connor glanced at the window and the image of the two Traci’s flashed in front of his eyes. He looked down at the couch quickly. “How stupid... I’m your partner in the detective unit and I’m scared of a storm.”

"Connor a lot of people are afraid of something. Don’t be embarrassed." Hank entwined their fingers.

“But I’m an...” Connor trailed off. He was an android and he was afraid of snowstorms. “I know but it’s such a stupid, illogical fear.”

Hank rested his shaggy head against Connor's. "It’s called PTSD. You had a traumatic event occur related to snow, and it’s triggering you. I’ve had it too."

Connors gaze trailed up Hanks face to meet his eyes. His irises were like a clear, sunny day, he noticed. A quick search of the definition of PTSD told him all he needed to know and he decided not to question Hank about it. “Oh.”

"Another very human trait." Hank smiled a little, meeting his eyes. "But I know how you feel. So if you want to talk..."

Connor squeezed Hank’s hand gently and let his thumb slide over Hanks skin. “I do want to talk. I just don’t know how to start.”

The lights flickered again, and Hank rubbed his arm again. "I was about 30, barely on the force, the first time I got it. Just a beat cop. Saw an 18 year old kid get shot right in front of me. I almost quit the force. Had nightmares for a long time..."

Connor watched Hanks face as he spoke, too distracted by his words to be bothered by the weather. “30 is very young to experience something like that.”

"It gets easier with time. I’m not sure if real trauma ever fully goes away. I didn’t drive for nearly a year after....after Cole." His throat tightened just saying the name.

“I’m sure. It must have... It really affected you.” Connor’s fingers squeezed his hand gently. “Im sorry, Hank. Cole was incredibly lucky to have you as a father.”

Connor’s words seemed to surprise Hank, and he met his eyes again, feeling his chest ache. "I tried to find a million ways to blame myself. If only Id swerved differently...if he'd been with his mother instead of me..." His hand in Connor's trembled slightly.

“It wasn’t your fault.” Connor took Hank’s hand in both of his own, his palms smooth, fingers lacking prints. “Things happen and life can change quickly, for better or for worse. I think we’ve both experienced that.”

"I know. I don’t blame myself, not anymore. I just...didn't want to live without him. You’re the only thing thats changed that Connor." Hank’s voice was quiet and he looked down as he spoke.

“If you weren’t here for me, I don’t know where I would be right now... or what kind of mental state I would be in.” Connor lifted a hand to tilt Hanks chin up to look at him. “I’m glad you’re here for me... And for Sumo, too.”

Hank smiled and leaned in, kissing him sweetly, raising a hand to rest on Connor's smooth cheek. "I didn't think I could ever be happy again..." He said softly as he pulled away. "Thanks for proving me wrong."

Connor felt the cold sweep from his body for just a moment as he returned the kiss. “You deserve to be happy. I’ll do all that I can to make sure it stays that way.”

Hank kissed him again, still tenderly, not the messy, passionate kind they often did, and pulled him impossibly closer under the blanket. He hadn't really talked to anyone about his son before, and it felt like a small weight had been lifted from him for the time being. As long as Connor was there, life didn't seem hopeless.

Connor’s hands went to Hanks shirt where they felt over the smooth cotton gently. He took his time in letting the warmth of the kiss seep into his body and erase the fear of the storm for just a few moments.

Hank smiled a little against Connor's lips before pulling away, relaxing beside him. "I’m sorry...I didn’t mean to make that all about me Connor..."

“No, I want to learn everything about you. The good, the bad, just... All of it.” Connor’s fingers gripped at his shirt even as he pulled away.

"Well that’s how I feel about you too. Do you want to share your story? You don't have to, but I’m here to listen" Hank stroked his fingers over Connor's arm.

Connor looked thoughtful and nodded a little. How much did he have to offer Hank? His story had only begun months prior; he was still so young. “Every time I would report back to Cyber Life... Things would get more tense.”

Hank nodded and listened, giving him his full attention, eager to understand. He knew next to nothing of Connor's experiences outside the two of them together.

“Every time I went was different, but the scenery was the same. It was a garden with a pond... And every time, Amanda was there.” Connor looked down in thought. “She was sort of my overseer, who I went to to talk about my missions and how I handled the investigation into deviants. She asked about you a lot, actually.”

"So you reported to a woman in your head...why the fuck did she want to know about me?" Hank raised a brow.

“She wanted to know if you were a capable enough detective to work with. My goal was to stop the deviants and you were my partner in that goal.”

"Bet she wasn't a fan then" Hank chuckled. It hadn't taken much for Hank to become sympathetic toward the deviants.

“No. She thought you were... Emotionally weak.” One of Connor’s hands balled into a fist. “As time went on and the cases of deviancy become more common and varied, Amanda became irritated with me. I was not performing the investigation to her liking... I was going against what I was created for.”

Hank’s brows raised but he said nothing, just listened intently.

“The situation grew worse every time I reported back to her. She questioned me more and more about my deviancy and always reminded me that if I were to fail, then I would be deactivated and replaced.”

"Christ..." Hank mumbled, frowning. "I had no idea Connor..."

“How would you have known?” Connor looked over at him even as his LED cycled through a slow yellow. “She warned me that an android uprising would cause a civil war but... I did what felt right regardless. Every time I reported back, the weather changed and Amanda grew angrier. During that night with Markus she... She forced me back into that garden. It was snowing so hard I couldn’t see and I was freezing.”

Hank gave Connor’s hand a comforting squeeze. He hadn’t realized just how actively Cyberlife had been controlling Connor's life, and it was rather chilling. Small wonder it had been so hard for Connor to find himself.

“I had to find a way out or Cyberlife would take complete control of me. They were going to make me do things I would regret. In that moment I truly felt fear.” Connor sighed softly. “But I found the exit and... I’m here.”

Realization was slowly dawning on Hank. "Connor...what were they trying to make you do?"

“They wanted me to kill Markus. They wanted my body under their control so they could kill the leader of Jericho.”

Hank felt a chill run through him at the words. "Fuck..." 

Connor kept his eyes lowered but cringed just recalling the memories. The air had been so cold that it hurt.

"But you fought it. You fought it and you won." Hank squeezed his hand.

“I did but... I almost lost, Hank. It was hard. It still scares me to think that they could still have control at some point.” Connor looks up to his face  
Hank hadn’t considered it before. "That won’t happen. It’s over now." He wasn’t actually sure it was true, but he couldn’t believe anything otherwise.

“I hope so.” Connor rubbed a hand over his eyes and gave a quiet, tired sounding sigh.

Hank kissed his cheek. "Its going to be ok." He knew that he would break into Cyberlife Tower himself to try to save Connor if it came down to it.

“I know. I trust you.” Connor nodded again and met his eyes.

Hank leaned in and kissed him again, a little deeper and more needily this time, pulling Connor close.

Connor met his kiss, returned it passionately, and found it to be the best distraction from the storm outside.


	9. The Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor and Hank 'comfort' each other on the sofa...but then the power goes out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's some more smut! And then feels.

It only took a moment for Connor’s lips to part and he pressed his tongue into Hanks mouth slowly, a hand coming to rest on his chest as he did so. Hank could feel Connor's need, and he shifted on the couch to pull Connor on top of him, still under the covers. Connor moved under the blanket and crawled on top of Hank in a sort of half straddle with one leg thrown over him. A disgruntled Sumo moved to the floor.

Connor parted the kiss for a moment to take a breath then dove back in, his hands moving to cup Hanks face as he did so. Hank held Connor's hips as they kissed, fingers digging into him lightly as his tongue worked. Connor shivered with every press of Hanks tongue and fingers and shifted his body to fully lay on top of him. The storm outside was forgotten and all he knew was him and Hank beneath the blanket, his body warm and his heart full.

Hank kissed him breathlessly, one of his hands slipping down to gently grip Connor's ass. His head was a bit foggy with lust, and it was perfect. The touch made Connor gasp and he squirmed, the sensors on his body sending all sorts of impulses down his spine. Hanks hands were big on him but felt just right, hitting all the sensitive parts on him in the right ways.  
Hank pulled away enough to pant, then fumbled to pull Connor's shirt off.

Connor pulled back a few inches to help him and slipped the sweater over his head. He tossed it aside, resisted the urge to go and fold it, and brought his lips to Hanks neck instead. Hank pressed up into his touches, and shifted his head to give him better access, a hand trailing over Connor's bare chest. He rested a thumb on one of the androids nipples.  
Connors mouth pressed hot to Hanks neck as a wave of desire slipped through him. The touch against his chest only urged him on and he bit down gently, tasting the sweat on his skin, and let his processors analyze it to bits.

"Ch-christ Connor..." Hank’s voice was strained, and he tangled a hand in the android's hair. His other hand rubbed a thumb over his nipple, giving it some gentle squeezes.  
Connor shuddered against Hanks grasp and gave a soft, breathy groan against his neck. His body was no longer hot and instead felt like it was on fire, his thirium boiling and his wiring sending jolts of pleasure southward. Hank pulled the hand from Connor's hair to unzip his own pants, the tightness there getting unbearable. He leaned into Connor's mouth, wanting more, wanting him to mark him.

Connor took the hint and pressed his mouth to the soft curve of Hanks neck again, his teeth pressing harder into his flesh, and sucked gently at the spot. This elicited a small growl-like groan from Hank, who dragged his nails down Connor's back in response.

Connor soothed the reddened spot with his lips, then moved lower to press a similar one to the top of Hank’s chest. His body was responding to all the stimulation, his slacks slightly tented and his legs trembling as he straddled the larger man more.

Hank grinded his hips up against Connor a bit, grateful for the relief it granted his own painfully hard cock. There was something so ridiculously arousing about the idea of Connor leaving his marks on him, a thing that he had never considered before.

Conner paused in his motions to grind his hips back down and the feeling it brought made him shudder. Hank felt strong and hard under him and he felt a warm sense of pride in his regulator at knowing he did that. His lips trailed back to the side, over his shoulder, where he bit down again albeit less gently this time.

The bite made Hank cry out a little, but in a clearly positive way. He dug into Connor's back with both trembling hands now.

Connor pulled his lips away to take a soft, pleased gasp, and took a moment to gather his breath. He was nearly shaking on top of him, his senses overwhelmed by the constant analysis’ his body were performing and the deliciously rough touches to his skin.

Hank gazed up at him, panting, and already looking very disheveled. He held Connor's hips, uncertain of what to do next.

“Hank.” Connor mumbled his name and stared down at him with lidded, soft brown eyes. His body felt good and he didn’t want it to end but he didn’t know what to say.   
"Please tell me you aren't done" Hank chuckled breathlessly.

“No, no. What... What should I do, Hank? What do you want me to do?” He watched him, still a little breathless as he worked to cool his interior parts, and let his hands stay planted on his chest.

"I-I don't know. We could um...touch each other..." Hank shrugged and rubbed at Connor's hips. He didn't much care who did what as long as Connor was touching him somehow.

“Y-yes.” Connor breathed the word out. He wanted to kiss every inch of Hanks skin, wanted to make him tremble and feel like he was the most important man in the world. “I want to touch all of you.”

"Fuck Connor I want that too" Hank leaned up and kissed him again hungrily.

Connor kissed him back, fingers curling into his shirt. He tugged on the cloth needily and considered ripping it off of him for a moment, but resisted. Hank got the memo and shifted to allow it to be tugged off. It was significantly brighter in the living room than was preferred, but at least they were under a blanket.

Connor’s hands instantly slid over the exposed flesh and he let the skin on his palms melt away to expose the ivory plastic underneath. He shivered and trailed his thumbs over Hanks nipples, then slid his touch lower and over the soft hairs of his stomach.

Hank flushed, but kissed him more hungrily as the fingers explored him, his body hot and sensitive. His hands eagerly reached to undo Connor's pants and he pulled them down over his hips, a hand perched on the smooth pale hip. His kisses moved to his jawline to give him time to breath.

Connor spread his legs slightly and arched his hips up to give Hank more leverage and took a gasp of breath. He was more comfortable with his zipper undone but his body was trembling, wanting more. 

Hank’s kisses were intoxicating and he panted with parted lips and worked to cool himself down; but it wasn’t helping. He shivered and murmured Hanks name on an exhale and his hand balled into a fist on his chest.

Hank’s hand slid to rest on Connor's ass, marveling at how wonderfully shaped it was. "Please touch me Connor…" He murmured, but it was nearly a beg.

“Yes... Yes.” Connor’s voice sounded distracted and he slipped his hand down, his fingers tracing over the outline of Hanks cock through his underwear. “Like this?”

"Y-yes..." Hank panted, grip on Connor tightening. His cock had already leaked a bit, and even the slight touch made him shiver.

Connor hummed in response and slipped his hand into Hank’s underwear, his fingers slipping over him gently. He arched his hips back into Hank’s touch with trembling legs.

Hank wasn't sure what exactly Connor was 'working with' back there, but he took a chance and slowly dipped his fingers explanatorily between Connor’s soft cheeks.

Connor gasped at the initial touch and froze up for a moment. Like he had said before, everything about him was anatomically identical to a human, including his most sensitive of areas.

"Is this ok?" Hank mumbled against his skin, breath hot. He didn't want to freak Connor out, or push him into something he didn’t want.

“Yes. Keep going.” Connor panted softly and urged him on. 

"If you really want me to go much further, we need some lube" Hank pulled away from his neck.

“Lube. Right.” Connor sat up somewhat and leaned away from Hank, letting his body calm down for a moment. He skimmed an article about anal sex and saved a few key points to his memory. “Should I get it?”

"Y-yeah if you don’t mind?" Hank sat up a bit as well, brushing his shaggy hair out of his face. He wasn’t sure if Connor would even enjoy being fingered, but he wasn't about to shove his big dumb fingers into him dry, that was certain. And even if he wasn't into it, lube would still be handy for whatever they did settle on.

Connor nodded and shuffled out from under their blanket fort. He cast a glance at the window and saw the snow swirling outside and froze up for a moment, a chill sneaking down his spine. He snapped out of it quickly and turned, heading into Hanks room.

Hank tried to compose himself, first trying straighten his hair out, then just deciding to pull it back in a ponytail. He hoped he wasn't too flushed or sweaty, and kept the blanket pulled up high to hide as much of himself as possible.

When Connor walked back out he was naked, having ditched his underwear and socks presumably in Hank’s bedroom. He had the lube in hand and kept his eyes on Hank as he handed it over to him.

Hank smiled and took it, then waited for him, heart speeding up. Connor eased his way under the blanket again, climbing onto Hank’s lap slowly.

Once they were situated, Hank kissed him again softly, a hand resting on the base of Connor's neck. He opened the bottle and set some of the liquid on his fingers. "If you don’t like it just tell me ok? Promise?" He murmured as he pulled away to gaze at him.

“Of course, Hank.” Connor slid a hand over his cheek and down his chin. He wondered if he had any semblance of a prostate or receptors in that part of him, then began to wonder if this was something Hank liked to receive as well. His LED spun yellow as he thought even as he watched the other man’s face intently.

Hank slid his fingers back between Connor's legs once more and found his entrance, pressing a slicked finger testingly against it and watching Connors face. His own was flushed partly with lust and partly with embarrassment.

Connor watched him steadily, his eyes soft, and he pressed a kiss to his temple. He wasn’t sure why Hank was hesitating but didn’t complain- this was something that needed to be done slowly, he had read.

Hank slowly pushed the finger inside of him, feeling the gentle stretch of the skin.

That part of Connor felt identical to a humans as well even though it served no purpose; warm and accepting of Hank. He shifted and dropped his head down to rest on his neck. The feeling the intrusion brought was interesting with no accompanying discomfort and he was curious for more.

Hank ran his other fingers down Connor's back, and since the reaction had been neutral to good, he slid the finger deeper inside him, exploring him. "Do you feel anything?" He asked gently.

“I feel... Pressure.” Connor muttered the words against Hanks neck and gave a soft sigh. “It’s not unpleasant though. Keep going.”

Hank obliged and decided to slowly add a second finger, curling them inside him to identify once and for all if the android had a prostate equivalent. The second finger added another level of sensation and Connor made a quiet noise of surprise. He hadn’t felt much until Hank had pressed his fingers in deeper and moved them, and then suddenly Connors fingers curled against Hanks chest. A shock ran down his legs, eliciting a quiet gasp, and he ran a diagnostics on himself to make sure nothing was out of whack. Everything was fine... Perhaps there was some faulty wiring inside of him.

Hank was reassured by the shuddery gasp, and prodded further, inside Connor down to the knuckle. "Should I add another?" He asked uncertainly. Connor's ass was a confusing but arousing mixture of tightness but also stretch, seeming to adjust eagerly to accommodate.

“Y-yes.” Connor’s mouth was hot on Hanks shoulder. Each prod of his fingers left his spine tingling in a way he couldn’t quite place, almost as if he was being shocked. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling but was an added sensation, something new that he was curious about.

Hank pushed a third digit inside of him, marveling at how easily he opened up for it.

The third finger pressed Connor in a way he didn’t expect and he gasped, his back arching against Hanks hand. A shock radiated through his body again, straight to his cock this time, and made his legs tremble.

Hank was shocked at the fact Connor had so quickly taken three of his sizeable fingers, and he paused to give him a moment. "Does it hurt? Are you ok?"

“No, ah, it’s fine.” Connor didn’t so much feel pain as he felt pressure and electrical impulses, especially in this area. The stretch was a little uncomfortable but the pleasure it brought easily made up for it. “It’s very fine, Hank.”

Hank leaned up to kiss his neck tenderly as he very slowly slid the fingers nearly all the way back out, feeling the resistance to them exiting. The pull of Hanks fingers brought another new feeling and he gave a soft, breathy gasp. The lack of touch had Connor puzzled and frustrated. Had Hank changed his mind?

Hank then thrust them back inside, still going slow but pushing them in to their limit, feeling him now expand to fit him.

When the fingers pressed back in Connor felt that electricity shoot through him again, causing him to flinch and gasp out. His thirium regulator was hammering away as if it was shocked to life. “Hank, that’s... That’s good.”

Hank had to admit he was relieved at the response, and he nibbled lightly on Connor's neck as he worked him. He slid his fingers slowly in and out of him, occasionally curling them, or scissoring them to open him even more. One bonus to his age he supposed; he was pretty good with his hands.

Connor seemed to find a rhythm as Hank worked on him and started to shift his hips down in anticipation. The shocks made his legs shake and his cock, still pressed hard to his stomach, had started leaking with each press inside of him. His mind wandered and he thought of Hank under his fingers reacting in similar ways; the image alone made him groan softly against his shoulder, a soft, needy sound.

Hank ignored his own needy erection to service Connor's, beginning to slowly stroke it in time with the movement of his fingers. As Connor pushed down, he increased his speed, until his fingers were thrusting in and out of Connor a little more raggedly. He kissed and sucked and nipped at the skin along Connor's sharp collarbone.

The touch against Connor’s cock was almost too much as his body was bombarded by pleasure signals but he quickly adjusted, his hips trembling as he moved. His LED started blinking yellow, signaling that he was close, and he groaned out Hanks name, his breath hot on his shoulder.

Hank could feel Connor's body nearly vibrating as he got close, and he worked him even harder and faster. "Fuck Connor...you’re incredible..." He smiled against his skin.

The encouragement made Connor’s thirium regulator skip a beat and pushed him over the edge. The light at his temple whirled red and he moaned as his back arched and his whole body locked up. He came messily between the both of them and like the previous time, his vision went white, feeling like his body was short circuiting as if right on the verge of a shutdown.

Watching Connor orgasm made Hank’s own body flush and sweat a bit more, his cock aching now and leaking. He kissed his neck tenderly as his body spasmed and tightened, leading him through the climax.

Connor trembled as his body started to come down, and panted hard, working to cool his overheated parts. His LED blinked a slow red then started to phase to yellow as he pressed his face to Hanks shoulder.  
Hank slid his fingers out of him, wiping the lube off before holding Connor's hips again. He gazed at him, only able to think about how beautiful he looked as he came, and how much he now needed release himself. 

It only took a few moments for Connor to recover, and he lifted his head, looking at Hank with heavily lidded eyes. He snaked a hand between them and wrapped his fingers snugly around Hanks cock, squeezing him firmly.

Hank groaned against Connor, eyes clamping shut. "Ah f-fuck C-con..." His voice was choked with need.

Connor watched his face for a moment and mentally saved the picture to his memory, amazed at how beautiful he looked. He worked his fingers over him and used Hanks own pre as lube for the time being. “Hank, is that good?”

"Y-yes....very good..." Hank couldn’t help but thrust up a little into his touch, and he wrapped both his arms round Connor's back.

Connor’s lips went to Hanks shoulder where he kissed the heated skin and started sucking a dark mark into it. His free hand slipped lower, trailing over Hank’s chest and downward, until it joined the other in stroking over the heated flesh eagerly.

Hank shivered a little in pleasure under his lips. "Christ you're wonderful Connor..." He panted, digging his nails into his back lightly.

Connor simply hummed in response and swiped a thumb over the head of his cock. The nails in his back made him shiver and caused a warning message displaying something he didn’t care about to appear in his HUD. He ignored it and pumped his hands around him more quickly, hoping he was doing his best to please the other man.

Hank thrust into Connor’s hand, body already very close to climax. He groaned and huffed a bit as he neared his breaking point.

Connor could tell that Hank was close judging by his breathing and the frantic beating of his heart, and he shifted up somewhat to try and get better leverage with his hands. He squeezed around him, his hands moving the pace more quickly, and started sucking another hickey into his collarbone, his teeth grazing over his skin this time.

Hank cried out, scratching Connor's back a little as he came in several rough spurts, with a few final thrusts into his hand. His face was buried in Connor's neck as he gasped in air, shaking.

The scratches along Connor’s back made him gasp and shiver and he continued to stroke Hank even as his orgasm washed through him. He eventually slowed the pace, his fingers barely brushing over him, and waited for him to recover.

Hank still clung to him as his body slowly calmed and his breathing evened out. He gave the android a couple sweet kisses on his neck before his head fell back to rest against the couch’s armrest.

Connor stayed settled against him, content and sated, and listened to the sound of Hanks breathing even out.

Hank just lay beneath him a while, feeling wonderfully spent. "I love you Connor..." He mumbled.

“I love you too.” Connor murmured, turning his head to press a kiss to Hank’s jaw as he dozed off. Connor just lay on him, quiet and happy to listen to his heartbeat. They were both a mess and he analyzed that Hank’s sweat amongst other things was all over him, but he didn’t mind.

Sumo snored on the ground beside them.

As the silence began to descend on them, Connor became more aware of the storm outside. He turned his head to watch the windows quietly, unsettled.

There was a loud sound and suddenly the power cut, plunging the house into darkness. Sumo jumped up, whining.

The loss of light wasn’t what startled Connor, as he had moderately good night vision. It was the silence, the sound of everything mechanical turning off at once, that truly frightened him. It felt like a deep cold seeped into him all at once, freezing him, and the warm body underneath him did nothing to disperse it.

Hank grumbled awake, sitting up a little "Ah fuck..." He rubbed his eyes.

Connor sat frozen, his body trembling and his eyes locked on the window. He knew they were out there- the two Traci’s, dead and covered in blue blood. They were just beyond the window where he couldn’t see, beckoning him to join them in the cold where he would freeze. His LED blinked yellow, then red, then yellow again.

"Connor I need to go turn on the generator..." Hank yawned, then looked to him through the darkness. "...Connor?"

“No, don’t move.” Connor’s voice was soft and fearful. If Hank went away then they would get to him too.

"Connor its okay...everythings ok remember? Now let me up..."

Connor moved quickly, pinning Hank down to the couch. His hands pressed against his wrists with surprising strength.

Hank looked up at him with big eyes. "Christ Connor w-? Let me up! Get the fuck off me!" He struggled.

“No, Hank.” Connor’s LED swirled a frantic red and he stared down at Hank. He was like dead weight and fiercely strong on top of him. The deviant part of him was suppressed and his programming only had one goal; protect Hank. Don’t let him move.

"Connor!" Hank growled and tried to push him off. Connor went silent, the muscles in his arms tense as he held him down.  
Hank’s anger faded as he met his eyes, and saw the red LED illuminating them both faintly. "...Connor....its ok....everything is ok..." His voice was gentle now. "Just calm down ok? Whats wrong?"

The gentleness in Hank’s tone made Connor loosen his grip slightly, and he blinked. “I... The storm... Amanda...”

"Amanda isnt here. Shes gone Connor. She can't hurt you." Hank slowly raised his hand, still in Connor’s clutch, to stroke the android’s cheek gently. He held his eyes with his own unwavering blues. "Youre safe. Youre here, with me, and we're both safe...." He said, firmly but reassuring.

“She... Are you sure?” Connor’s hands loosened their grip on his wrists and his eyebrows raised, confused.

"Yes babe everything’s ok..." Hank forced a smile up at him, but didn’t try to get away anymore. "Its just some shitty snow is all..."

The pet name seemed to break through to Connor and he let his hands fall back to his sides. “Y-yeah. You’re... you’re right. It’s just snow. A natural meteorological phenomenon.”

"Yep and I’m gonna bust my ass shoveling us out from it tomorrow" Hank chuckled, relieved.

Connor blinked and his LED faded to yellow. There were no Traci’s outside. Amanda wasn’t there to scream at him either. It was just frozen, fluffy condensation and some wind. “I’m sorry, Hank.”

"Don’t be sorry. Its ok" Hank sat up slowly, and pulled Connor into his arms, rubbing his back. Connor leaned against his body and let the sound of Hank’s heartbeat ground him. He felt safe and no longer cold.

Hank just held him a while, stroking his back and arms and kissing the top of his head. "I love you Con. Everything’s ok."

“I know. Everything’s alright. I-I love you too, Hank. Thank you.” Connor’s voice was quiet, tired, and he honestly felt exhausted.

"Connor I gotta go turn the generator on. Do you want to come with me? Then we can go to bed." Hank held his hand.

“Yes. I don’t want you to go alone.” The fear was still there although lesser and like a nagging at the back of Connor’s memory. He slowly slipped off of Hanks body and stood, his LED blinking in the darkness.

Hank pulled his pants up and then grabbed his shirt, pulling that on as well. He knew his stomach was caked in dry cum but he couldn't bring himself to care now. He took Connor's hand and headed to the garage, slipping on a pair of slippers along the way.

Connor walked along with him, naked and oblivious to the cold. He looked around the garage curiously as they went in but stuck close to him, not daring to wander off.

The garage was quite frigid, and Hank's breath billowed out in the cold. He tried to ignore the cold as he walked to the generator, fiddling with it. The garage wasn’t used often, and Hank didn't put his car it. There were a few dusty boxes on a shelf that just said 'Cole'.   
Hank shivered as he finally got the genny on, and power flicked back on.

Connor continued to stay close to him even as the power flickered back on. The sound of machinery running instantly soothed him and he focused his attention on the boxes, scanning them curiously.  
Hank rubbed his arms. "Come on Connor lets go back in." He headed to the door.

Connor strayed a little, looking at the surroundings, then turned to follow him. His findings hadn’t been helpful and he resolved to return to the garage at some point when it was warmer.

Hank headed in, shivering, and headed toward his bedroom, turning off appliances and lights along the way.

Connor followed after him and turned his attention to Hank; the larger man looked cold. “You better get to bed, Hank. You’re very cold.”

"Quit worryin about me" Hank kicked off the slippers but got into bed eagerly. "If you want to help, get in here and warm me up."

“I can do that.” Connor watched him a moment before stepping forward and slipping under the covers beside him. Hank was so... Good to him. He didn’t care that he was an android- he liked him all the same. He didn’t deserve his love, he thought, as he wrapped his arms around him tightly.

Hank snuggled into Connor's arms. His body was chilled from the brief time in the garage, and the blankets and Connor were a warm welcome.

Connor pulled him closer. Even without clothes he was warm, his thirium regulator and mechanical mechanisms generating constant heat, and he buried his face in Hanks hair.

Hank sighed happily, seeming content. "I love you Connor" He murmured.

“I love you too. Thank you for loving me.” Connor murmured quietly.  
Hank paused a moment, opening his eyes to look at him. "Connor...what do you mean by that?"

“I mean... Thank you for giving me your love. Even as an android.” Connor looked to his face.

Hank sighed. "You know, you aren’t any less deserving of love, just because you’re an android." He looked deep into his brown puppy eyes.

“I know, but many humans wouldn’t agree with you, therefore I consider myself lucky.” Connor met his eyes and spoke softly.  
Hank smiled and leaned in, catching his lips. "I’m the lucky one Connor."

“I guess we’re both lucky to have each other then.” The corners of Connor’s lips perked in the slightest smile and he brushed his lips over Hank’s.

Hank smiled against his lips "Fine, let’s just say that. Now shut up and let me sleep."

“Alright, Hank. I hope you have a nice sleep.” Connor smiled a little more and pulled him closer.

Hank dozed off in his arms, nuzzled close, while Connor fell into a deep stasis, his standby cycle calm as he held Hank, and he didn’t dream at all.


	10. Vacation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hank and Connor have a feelings jam and then realize its time for a vacation.

Hank woke relatively early the next morning and slipped out of Connors arms carefully, trying not to wake him.

Connor didn’t stir and continued to lay there in standby, his chest rising and falling with each breath.

Hamk got dressed in warm clothes and then headed out to shovel snow.

The sound of a shovel grating over pavement roused Connor and he woke from his stasis, blinking awake and sitting up. He seemed disoriented and looked for Hank for a moment but quickly realized what he was doing and got out of bed. He slipped on one of Hanks sweatshirts and shuffled into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee for him.

Hank came back in and kicked off his snowy boots, then hung his jacket. He walked into the kitchen and smiled to see Connor. "Morning"

Connor was busy pouring out coffee into a big mug. “Good morning, Hank. You should have let me know that you were shoveling. I would have helped.”

Hank sat at the table. "Come on Connor, let an old man feel useful."

Connor placed the mug in front of him and the oversized sweatshirt slipped down his arm as he did so. “I was only offering to help considering it’s so cold out there.”

"I’m fine." Hank happily took the coffee and drank, eyes trailing over Connor. "Nice sweatshirt."

“Oh, uh...” Connor looked down at the sweatshirt and picked at the sleeves. He had forgotten that he was wearing it, having picked it up off the floor in a haste. “I hope this is alright. I didn’t want to wrinkle any of my clothes.”

"No no it’s um...you look good. Cute. Sometimes people like seeing their lovers borrow their clothes. I’m sure you can research that or whatever..." Hank mumbled, sipping his coffee.

“I don’t need research to tell me that I enjoy wearing your clothing.” Connor smoothed his fingers down the front of the soft fabric of the sweatshirt. “Just as long as you don’t mind me wearing them, of course.”

"Like I said, dork, I think it’s cute. I was talking about myself before." Hank smirked.

Connor looked a little flustered, something that rarely happened, and he pulled at the string to the sweatshirt as he went to get him more coffee.

Hank smirked, watching him. Some snow melted and dripped from his messy hair. 

At some point in the night the power had been restored and the generator had auto shut off. Hank thought about the way Connor had gotten, how...machine he had been for a moment. It was a little troubling.

Connor turned with the pot of coffee and topped off Hank’s mug then slid into the seat across from him. “Weather reports state that the day will be much more mild.”

Hank gave a nod, watching him. "Connor....are you ok?" His voice was soft, concerned.

The question caught Connor off guard and he blinked at him, laying his palms flat on the table. His functions were good and diagnostics came back flawless. “I... Yes. Why do you ask?”

"Last night...I’ve never seen you like that. I was worried." Hank scooted closer to him and took his hand.

Connor stared at him and tried to recount the night. He remembered them on the couch, them being intimate. He remembered standing with Hank in the garage and he had been cold as he tried to get the generator working because... Oh. The power had gone out. He had seen them, the girls... Had they really been there? That part was fuzzy to him, almost dreamlike. His eyebrows furrowed and he took Hanks hand. “I scared you, didn’t I?”

"I was mostly scared for you Connor." Hank rubbed his hand gently. "For a second I....I really thought I might have lost you."

Connor slouched in his seat a little. “I’ll be honest, Hank. I don’t... I don’t know what happened. I think I lost myself for a period of time there.”

Hank frowned, watching him. It wasn't what he wanted to hear. Hank loved Connor more than anything in the world but he was powerless to help him efficiently. He understood very little about androids, about what was or could be happening to him. Could he go to Cyberlife to try to fix this?

“I seem to be okay now though.” Connor spoke quickly, sensing Hank’s uneasiness, and squeezed his hand. “All my cognitive functions are in perfect working order and I am in complete control of myself. I... I won’t let it happen again, Hank.”

Hank looked up to meet Connor's eyes, his own filled with worry.

Hank’s expression was crushing and Connor stumbled for words for a moment. Hank didn’t trust him and he couldn’t blame him. When he did speak his voice was small. “I’m sorry.”

Hank pulled him into his arms, onto his lap. "Don’t you dare be sorry. It isn't your fault. Jesus, Connor, you don't want that shit any more than I do..."

“I know but...” Hank’s heartbeat was as calming as it had ever been but Connor still felt unsettled and anxious, like the machinery in his chest was screwed in too tightly. “I don’t want to scare you either. I could have... Hurt you.”

Hank rubbed his back with one hand, the other slipping into his hair. "I just want you to be okay. I'd do just about anything to insure that."

Connor’s head settled against Hanks shoulder and he gave the quietest of sighs. “And I don’t want you to get hurt either, Hank.”

Hank sighed. "We'll figure this out. Somehow." He leaned and kisses Connor's neck sweetly, trailing his lips over a dark blue hickey.

The anxiety melted away somewhat under Hank’s lips, but Connor couldn’t stop his mind from wandering, thinking about what could have been or what could happen.

Hank held him close "Whatever it takes Connor...we're gonna protect each other."

“I know. I promise to protect you from anything and everything.” Connor’s hands gripped at Hanks shirt even as his LED swirled yellow; he would protect Hank even…if that meant from himself.

"Connor, I was thinking about maybe...maybe we could go away together somewhere. Like a vacation. Somewhere warm."

The mention of a vacation made Connor lift his head, curious and confused. A vacation had never occurred to him as a thought or a possibility, nor did he ever think about travel. His programming had never allowed him to think as such because... Why would a detective prototype android need a vacation? “You’d want to bring me?” He felt stupid the moment he said it and quickly backtracked. “Uh, where were you thinking of going?”

"I want us to go together. Somewhere with a beach. We could spend the holidays there." Hank smiled, watching him.

“A beach.” Connor’s hard drive ran a quick search of beaches and he wondered how the sand felt or what the ocean looked like in person. “That sounds... Really nice.”

"Good, settled. I'll work on that." Hank held Connor's hips, and kissed him again sweetly.

Connor kissed him back, tasting the coffee on his lips and analyzing it. “If you need help, I’m here. I have a whole database in my head that could be helpful to you.”

"I can book everything" Hank stroked his cheek. "You start trying to think of some vacation things you’d want to do"

Connor nodded a little and watched Hanks face thoughtfully. Going somewhere warm meant he would need to buy clothes suitable for the climate- not that it mattered to him- and he would need to look into laws regarding android travel.

"We should get ready for work" Hank sighed. He would have rather got back into bed with Connor.

“Yes, you’re right. I’m sure traffic will be affected by the weather.” Connor took that as a sign to slip off his lap and stand but his thoughts were still focused on the vacation.

Hank got up, looking him over a final time. "I need a shower" He stretched. He was sweaty from shoveling and guessed he might still have some remains from the previous night on him as well.

“I... Should wash off as well.” Connor looked over to the sink then over himself; his analysis confirmed that his appearance was not suitable to go to work in.

Hank paused, looking at him as if he wanted to say something to him but wasn't sure. He ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "Do you uh...I mean we could...both..."

“If you’re suggesting that we bathe together to possibly save on your water bill for this month, then I would agree to that.” Connor looked back to him with a hint of a smile on his lips.

A grin spread across Hank’s face and he chuckled "Well it would be more responsible..."

“I would think so too.” Connor took Hanks now empty mug and brought it to the sink.

Hank watched him, then headed off to the bedroom to get clothes.

Connor wandered into the bathroom and started the water, making sure the temperature was comfortable enough for Hank, then waited for him patiently.

Hank walked in with clothes and two towels. "Do androids shower normally?" He asked, looking to him.

“Yes, of course.” The question struck Connor as curious and he couldn’t help but smile. “Why wouldn’t we?”

"Well I mean, you dont really do any of the gross stuff humans do. Sweat, shed skin..." He pulled his shirt off, trying not to be self-conscious by making conversation.

“That’s true but we still need to be kept clean in case of instances such as this... Or when we become dirty while working otherwise.” Connor shed the sweatshirt he was wearing, pulling it over his head and folding it neatly, and was naked under it.

Hank’s eyes trailed over his body, flitting between the marks he had left there, and smiling when he remembered his own. "Guess I just figured you guys went for spot cleaning or something. I’m certainly not complaining." He undid his pants and stepped out of them and his boxers.

Connor’s eyes slid up and down Hanks body as he finally saw it in the full light; with it came a warm surge of adoration that completely overwhelmed him. Hank was strong bodied with broad shoulders and every wonderful imperfection on the other man’s body made Connors regulator skip a beat. He smiled and looked up to his face.

Hank flushed a bit, feeling Connor's eyes on him. He wondered what the perfect android thought about his incredibly imperfect body, but for whatever reason, based on the reaction, he apparently liked it. He stepped closer to him, slipping his hands onto his bare hips.

“You’re really beautiful, Hank.” Connor spoke softly, genuinely, and meant every word of it. Hank’s hands felt strong on his hips. “You... Looking at you makes me feel breathless. Is that a normal reaction to have?”

Hank's heart stammered a little. "Is that...you really feel that?" He looked at him skeptically.

“I wouldn’t lie to you. You know that.” Connor reached out and trailed a hand over his shoulder gently. “I mean everything that I say about you. You’ve made me feel emotion.”

Hank leaned in and kissed him. "What did I do to deserve you?" He mumbled against his lips.

Hanks lips were soft against Connor’s, warm and welcoming. “We’ve already gone over this recently, haven’t we?”

Hank chuckled. "Lets get in" He released him to step into the shower, sighing as the warm water hit him.

Connor watched him a moment, taking in Hanks ass and admiring it, then followed him into the shower.

Hank let the water run over him, then soaped up. He looked over to Connor as he stepped in.

The water ran over his body like it would any humans, clinging to his hair and eyelashes. He focused on rinsing the fluid off of his midriff and caught Hank’s eye as he glanced up at him.

Hank blushed and washed up, sighing happily. The warm felt good on his sore body.

Connor found himself staring at Hank again, admiring him, and reached out to smooth a hand over his back. He analyzed him, feeling the muscles in his back and the knots under his skin.

Hank smirked, looking at him over his shoulder as he rinsed. "Gonna give me a massage?" He teased

“Maybe not now because we’ll be late, but I will download some guides for another time.” He slipped both hands over his shoulders and up the back of his neck slowly.

Hank sighed "I think I’d like that" He leaned into his touch a little.

“Later then.” Connor leaned in and pressed a kiss to the back of his neck then stepped away.

Hank smiled and turned around to touch his cheek gently, and Connor’s head tilted into his touch. “I love you.” He mumbled.

"I love you too. Ready to get out?" 

“Yes.” Connor pulled away and stepped out of the water. His skin was unlike a humans in the way that the water rolled off, wasn’t absorbed at all, and he dried off quickly with a towel.

Hank got out and ruffled his hair in the towel to dry it a bit, then wrapped it around himself. He looked to Connor as he dried.

Connor ran a towel over his head and looked back over to Hank. He couldn’t stop admiring him and stared wordlessly.

Hank smirked and pulled on his clothes, having picked one of his silly button ups.

Connor crossed the bathroom wordlessly as he saw Hank dress and reached out to help do up the buttons for him.

Hank blushed and smiled at him "Thank you." He was incredibly charmed at the gesture, heart skipping.

Connor gave a slight nod and glanced up at his face with a smile as he smoothed his shirt out, then turned to walk out, still in the nude.

Hank watched him go with a smile.

\----------------------------------

Hank got to work planning their trip, bouncing ideas off Connor to make sure he was good with them. They would be going to Hawaii for a week, spending both Christmas and New Years there. Sumo would be coming as well, of course, and they would be staying at a nice beachside hotel (typically used by honeymooning couples) that was also android friendly. Hank booked their flights.

To say that Connor was excited was an understatement- as the days crept closer all he could do was talk about the trip and suggest things for them to do. He responded positively to all of Hanks suggestions and they spent the day before the trip at the mall, buying clothes.

They got new swim trunks and some shirts to wear. Hank seemed to favor silly Hawaiin shirts. Connor picked out a some shirts similar to Hanks, along with some nice polo shirts, some shorts, and a bathing suit that showed off much of his slender legs. He invested in a pair of sunglasses, and flip flops, and asked Hank for his opinion on everything.  
Hank loved everything he picked.

When they showed up to the airport, Connor was nearly ecstatic. He looked around with big eyes and analyzed the heck out of everything as he pulled his luggage behind him. He never thought he’d be there, or have a purpose at an airport, but there he was, overwhelmed but happy.

Hank stayed close to him, seeming very protective of him in such a bustling, high security place. They made it through security, though not without TSA being rather hard on Connor. Hank grumbled in aggravation as they headed to their terminal.

Connor complied with TSA patiently and tried to calm down Hank afterwards, reaching out to touch his arm gently. “Perhaps a drink before the flight would help? Or we could sit and watch the planes depart if you wanted...”

"A drink" Hank said gruffly, heading to the nearby bar. He sat, pulling the stool out beside him for Connor.

Connor went with him and slid onto the stool, folding his hands in his lap. His body was practically vibrating with information, both from his surroundings and that which he had saved up for the trip, and it seemed he couldn’t sit still.

The bartender noticed Connors LED and his eyes narrowed, but Hank shot him a venomous glare and he said nothing, taking his order.

Connor turned his attention to the bartender, scanned him, then looked down. Even in a populated airport there were still people who seemed to be anti-android and it honestly irritated him a little. He fell into a quiet thought and stared at the bar top.

Hank basically shot his drink down, slapped some cash on the bar, and got up. "Come on Connor. Fuck this place."

“I... Hank, it’s fine.” Connor blinked but slid off the stool. “It’s not a big deal. I don’t mind...”

Hank took Connor's hand and headed out. "I’m not patronizing anywhere that even looks at you funny."

Connor walked along and pulled his bag along behind him, flustered. “I don’t mind, honestly...”

Hank stopped, turning to look at him. "Connor I do. It pisses me the fuck off. I’m not letting anyone disrespect you."

Connor stopped on a dime and watched his expression, surprised. “I appreciate it Hank but... There’s still a lot of humans who hate androids. That’s something I’ve accepted.”

"Well fuck em. You’re the most important thing in the world to me." Hank said it very matter of factly.

Connor’s eyebrows rose and he felt his body grow warm. “I... Thank you, Hank. You’re very good to me.”

Hank smirked. "You’re better to me." He went to the gate and found a seat.

Connor followed him thoughtfully and stayed quiet as he seated himself beside him. He changed the subject as he looked out at the planes. “Do you like planes?”

Hank shrugged. "They aren’t very comfortable, but I can fall asleep pretty much anywhere."

“I hope my shoulder will make a good headrest for you during the flight.” Connor smiled and looked over at him fondly. He wasn’t nervous about the plane but his head was filling up with useless facts about them the more he stared at the machines.

Hank smiled "Im sure it will." 

Eventually they boarded the flight and then took off.

Connor pressed his face to the glass the entire time they were in the air, scanning and analyzing excitedly

Hank dozed off, snoring softly in his seat.

Connor eventually faded into a stasis when he had nothing left to scan, head back and his LED blinking slowly.


	11. Flowers and Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor and Hank arrive in Hawaii and try to relax.

They flew a long time, out of the cold Michigan winter and into warmth and sun.

As they got off the plane, Connor was visibly excited, smiling and looking around at everything. “Hank, it’s much warmer here, a balmy 85°. Today’s weather is mostly sunny and it should stay like that the rest of week-“ He babbled on about the specifics of each day enthusiastically.

Hank chuckled, looking around at the scenery. "Christ its nice here" he pulled off his sweatshirt before heading to the baggage area to pick up their stuff and Sumo. When they were reunited he let Sumo out and hugged him, doting on him and baby talking him. “Thank Christ flying animals isn’t like it used to be.”

Connor went over to Sumo and leaned in to press kisses to his forehead and nose, telling him how good of a job he did while flying, then stood up and looked around. “The hotel isn’t too far judging by my gps.”

"Want to walk? Or should we get a cab?" Hank asked as he continued to kiss Sumo.

“Either. It all depends on what you would like to do. I’m sure Sumo wouldn’t mind the fresh air though.” 

"In that case lead the way" Hank grabbed their luggage and let Connor take Sumo.

Connor led Sumo down the street and let the dog pull him as he looked around. He analyzed the heck out of everything, from the palm trees to the plants to the humidity in the air, his LED swirling yellow as he took it all in.

Hank seemed very cheerful as he walked, also taking in the scenery. Soon they were at the cute hotel, and some workers helped take their bags to their room.

Connor graciously thanked the workers, feeling a little strange that a human was doing work for him, and walked into the room. It was instantly to his liking and he smiled, looking around at the bed and all the amenities.

They had a nice room with a queen bed and a porch out to the beachfront. 

Hank put their stuff down and started unpacking a bit to settle in. Sumo sniffed everything.

Connor wandered around and started putting his clothes away, folding them and sticking them in a drawer neatly, then checked out the bathroom. He analyzed the water and found it of good quality, then shuffled back into the main room.

Hank had flopped on the bed, testing it. It was very comfortable, to his relief. He hoped to spend a lot of time in it one way or another.

Connor sat on the edge of the bed once he was thoroughly satisfied with the room and folded his hands in his lap as he looked out onto the porch. The air smelled good, warm and salty, and the ocean... It was unlike any picture he had seen before.

"Want to change and go down to the beach?" Hank was resting on the bed with his arms folded behind his head.

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” Connor looked over to him and smiled. He wondered how long it had been since Hank had taken an actual vacation and his breath caught at the realization that he chose to spend it with him.

Hank smiled and sat up. "Hopefully you like it because that’s kind of the main thing here." He stood and grabbed his bathing suit.

“I’m sure I will.” Connor watched him fondly and stood, starting to strip out of his clothes as he did. “Do you tan, Hank?”

"You mean purposefully or-?" Hank pulled off his own clothes to put on his swim trunks and a t-shirt.

“Either or. I know some humans are prone to burning, depending on genetics and other factors.” Connor slipped his own swim shorts on; they were small, black, and barely cleared halfway down his thighs.

"I used to lay on the beach sometimes in my younger years...I haven't even been to the beach in years now..." Hank finished dressing and looked to him.

“Really?” Connor’s eyebrows rose but he supposed it made sense. Michigan wasn’t near any actual tropical beaches aside from those near the lakes but that also confirmed that Hank didn’t take many vacations otherwise. “Just remember to put on sunscreen, Hank. The sun is strong in this area of the world.”

"Alright alright. You might need to help me though. You ready?" Hank put on sunglasses.

“Of course.” Connor slipped his own sunglasses on and grabbed a towel and the sunscreen for Hank. When he stepped onto the sand he paused, his CPU overloaded with information and sensors regarding the biology of the beach. “This is a lot, Hank.”

Hank took Connor's hand. "Are you ok?"

“Yes. It’s not a bad thing, necessarily.” Connor pressed his toes into the sand. “My body isn’t just used to any of this.”

Hank nodded. "Well we can take it slow. Your lead." He squeezed his hand gently.

Connor gave his hand a gentle squeeze and started forward on the beach. The sand sunk under each step and he walked slowly, giving his body time to adjust. It didn’t take long until he was pulling Hank towards the water more eagerly, wanting to experience it for the first time.

Hank smiled, just watching him with a fond gaze as he followed him. He literally couldn't remember the last time he'd gone to the beach or seen the ocean, and it all felt wonderful.  
Connor didn’t stop until the surf touched his feet and he paused to let the water wash over his toes. He stared out at the ocean in awe and gripped Hanks hand more tightly.

Hank rubbed his thumb gently over his hand to reassure him.

“It’s so beautiful, Hank. This whole place... It’s really wonderful.” Connor murmured the words.

Hank watched him, smiling a little. "I’m glad you like it. You deserve a vacation Connor." He held his hand as he stepped into the water up to his ankles, watching it swirl around him.

Connor looked down at the sand and was lost in the vision of it for a moment. He wasn’t the one who really needed a vacation... Hank deserved it much more. He gave his hand a gentle squeeze in return.

Hank turned to look at him. "Want to go in?" He squeezed Connor's hand a little, smirking.

“I do.” Connor smiled at him. “But only if you come in with me as well. The water is 80° which you’ll find to be much warmer than what we would find back in Detroit...”

Hank grinned and dragged him quickly out into the water before he could finish talking, splashing the water onto them significantly.

Connor stumbled after him and let his feet sink into the sand. He didn’t seem to mind being splashed but looked delighted instead, a big smile on his face as he stared down into the water.

Hank sunk into the water up to his chest with a content sigh. His damp shirt clung to his body.

Connor waded into the water then dipped down to his neck with a soft sigh. He paddled closer to him and reached out to pull at his shirt. “You forgot to take this off, Hank.”

"No I didn't, its staying on" Hank gave him a weak, teasing splash that didn’t actually hit him.

Connors lips formed into a hint of a pout and he splashed Hank back before wandering off a few feet. He stared down at the ocean floor again curiously.

Hank swam about a little, seeming happy. "You gonna catch a fish or something?"

“No, I wouldn’t do that. I don’t want to frighten them. But...” He dunked his body under the water for a moment then popped back up, holding a small crab between his thumb and index finger.

Hank laughed "Shit Connor. You really are intrigued by animals."

“I like them. I like their biological diversity in nature and how much they differ from humans.” Connor held the crab closer to his face and analyzed it; a sand crab, or a horn-eyed crab, a common species to Hawaii. Three inches in length.

Hank swam closer to him and raised a hand to brush Connor's dripping hair out of his face. He couldn't believe how enamored he was with him in that instant, watching his wonder at the world around him. It actually even made him take a second look at things, learn to re-appreciate the world that had seemed so gray before this quirky android had walked into it. He smiled, eyes incredibly soft behind his shades as he watched his partner.

Connor glanced over at Hank and offered him the crab. “Care to take a look, Hank? Even though they’re adapted to survive without water for some time I wouldn’t want to do that to it.”

"Uh, no thanks, crabs' all yours" Hank chuckled.

Connor nodded and took the crab back, observed it one last time, then placed it back into the water gently.

Hank wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into a wet hug.

Connor smiled and leaned into his touch and let his arms snake around him as he returned the hug. His LED spun blue, the color even more vivid than the water around them, and he gave a happy sounding hum against his neck.

Hank kissed his neck softly. "I love you Connor. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be right now. "

Connor felt his skin grow hot under his lips in the semblance of a blush and he smiled as he slid a hand up his back. “I’m... Really glad to be here too. I never even thought something like this would be a possibility in my life... Or could be a possibility, I mean.”

Hank released him, smiling. "Well I hope you’re ready for a week full of this shit because I’ve got lots of plans."

“I’m very excited.” Connor beamed at him with bright eyes. Although he had done countless hours of research on things to do in Hawaii, he was still curious about what Hank had planned.

Connor paddled around and picked up more things off of the sea floor to examine while still comically wearing his soaking wet sunglasses. The fauna here differed vastly from those back in Detroit and he was gentle with every clam, shell, and crab he plucked off the ground.

Hank swam around happily. He wanted to give Connor the best possible vacation. Truly, he wanted to give him everything.

At one point Connor pulled up a piece of seaweed and brought one end of it to his mouth to taste it, his tongue running over the slippery green surface.

Hank scowled "Goddamnitt Connor, why do you always gotta put shit in your mouth?"

“It’s the easiest way for me to analyze something, Hank.” Connor let the seaweed drop and looked over to him with a smile.

Hank rolled his eyes and tried not to smirk a little.

Connor repeated the action with a different kind of seaweed then moved on, wandering further away as he went.

Hank followed him a few feet behind, giving him some space but not wanting him to get too far away.

After Connor was satisfied with his scanning he wandered back to Hank, looking over his face with a smile.

"Having fun?" Hank smiled.

“Yes.” Connor nodded and reached out to trail a few fingers over Hanks koi tattoo. “I don’t think this species lives in this habitat, however.”

"Nah. Freshwater fish, Koi." Hank looked to him.

“Right.” Connor slid his fingers over the tattoo. “A species of carp.” He wondered if androids would be able to get tattoos someday or the equivalent of it- perhaps an update would allow them to generate tattoos at will on their synthetic skin.

"Do you like it?" Hank watched his slender finger trace over his skin.

“It’s beautiful. It always catches my eye whenever I look at you.” Which was a lot, Connor added internally, and stroked over the scales gently  
"Got it for my 30th." He had considered getting more since then, but had just never gotten around to it.

“It fits you well, I think.” Connor let his hands drop back into the water. “Koi are very pretty fish.”

"You sayin Im a pretty fish?" Hank cocked an amused brow.

“I’m saying you’re pretty in general.” Connor gave a soft laugh.

"Connor youre crazy..."

“I’m not crazy, Hank. I’m simply being honest.” Connor offered him a smile before turning and heading back into more shallow waters.

Hank trailed after him, shaking his shaggy head a bit, and blushing.

Connor stood on the sand and let himself dry off of a moment, turning to look at Hank as he did so. “What should we do now?”

"We can lay around, explore...we have plans at 8 tonight."

“Plans? What sort of plans?” Connor brushed some sand off of his shorts

"Dinner and a show. For you mostly a show I guess."

“That sounds exciting.” Connor looked forward to sitting with Hank as he experienced a good meal and smiled at the thought. “I should rinse off and change. I’m covered in sand.”

"I need to get ready too." Hank nodded in agreement. "We have some time though. I think I'll lay on the sand for a bit."

“Okay. I’m going to go lie with Sumo in the room, if that’s okay?” Connor looked to him for permission. 

Hank nodded "Yup, you know where to find me if you need me."

“Be sure to apply sunscreen, Hank.” Connor smiled and wandered back to the hotel room. He showered and made sure he was free of sand then flopped down with Sumo, hugging him close.

Sumo whined happily, crawling closer to him, tail thumping on the bed happily.

Connor laid with Sumo a while, petting him and telling him how good he was on the plane, and let his mind wander for a while as he chilled with him. He thought of Hank mostly, and what kind of clothes he’d packed or what he would look like with a tan. He thought of a flower that would look nice in his hair and stored that suggestion for later in his memory.

After a while Hank came in to shower, his towel around his shoulders. It seemed he did finally take his shirt off so that he wouldn’t get t-shirt lines.

Connor was curled up on the bed in just a pair of underwear with Sumo in his arms, and had apparently entered a peaceful standby at some point. He awakened when Hank came in and blinked, sitting up. “How was the sun? It doesn’t look like you burned, thankfully.”

"It was nice" Hank already had a light tan, and it suited him. "I’m gonna shower"

“Alright.” Connor smiled, admiring him as he walked by.

Hank showered and then dressed, putting on one of his nice short sleeve button ups and tying his hair back. He trimmed his beard neatly, and put on some pleasant smelling cologne. He wanted to look as handsome as he could for Connor.

Connor dressed while Hank showered and took his time deciding what to wear. He settled on a black short sleeve button up with a little flower pattern on it, and a pair of shorts; he wasn’t used to the type of pant wear yet and stood in the mirror, staring at his thin legs.

Hank walked out and smiled, looking Connor over.

Connor turned and met Hanks eyes. “Although I’m not condoning sun exposure due to the health risks it brings... You look really good with a tan, Hank.”

Hank chuckled "Th-thanks Con...that makes me feel pretty good honestly." He walked over to him. "I used to get tan every summer doing yard work."

Connor looked him up and down with a smile. “Next summer I’ll help you with yard work and you can get tan then as well.” That was, if Hank still wanted him around then. The notion made his regulator sink a little.

"I think I'd like that a lot. Maybe spend time at a pool too." Hank wrapped his arms around him.

Connor’s LED blinked yellow in thought. “Detroit has a number of public pools that we could partake in although I’m not sure if they’ll be desegregated by then...”

"Lets worry about that down the road" Hank kissed his neck sweetly.

“Of course.” Connor smiled and leaned into his touch. “You trimmed your beard. It looks very nice.”

"Do you like it? I figured I should try to look a little presentable when I’m sitting next to you for a boyfriend..."

The word boyfriend struck Connor as curious and he blinked at him as he rounded up every meaning on it he could find. Had Hank ever referred to him as that before? “Boyfriend?” His voice was soft but curious.

Hank blinked, looking surprised, as if he hadn’t even realized he'd said it. "Or uh I mean...whatever it is we...are..." He stumbled over his words, looking embarrassed.

“Boyfriend sounds good to me. It has a nice ring to it.” Connor could tell that Hank was flustered and did his best to calm him down, smoothing a hand down over his shirt. “As long as you don’t mind having an android as a boyfriend.”

"Jesus christ of course I don't mind Connor." Hank grumbled. "Let’s just forget labels alright I didn't mean to bring it up..."

“No, I like it. You’re my boyfriend, Hank.” Connor smiled up at his face cheerfully.

Hank flushed deeply now, unable to stop himself. "You realize I look old enough to be your father. Probably even your grandfather on my rougher days."

“That’s a stupid thing to say.” Connor’s eyebrows furrowed. “And a strange comparison. I think you look quite handsome.”

"If you say so." Hank sighed.

“I don’t care what you think you look like... You need to realize that by now. I think you look wonderful. I wouldn’t change any part of you.”

Hank watched him, meeting his eyes. He was truly touched. "God you’re amazing..." He mumbled, stroking his cheek gently.

“I’m not amazing. I’m just an android who likes to speak his mind.” Connor gazed at him and leaned in to press a gentle kiss to his lips. That sort of statement would have resulted in him being decommissioned only months earlier.

"You’re not just an android. You’re the android I’m in love with and…if I’m given half the chance, that I want to spend as much of the rest of my life with as you'll allow." Hank held his eyes.

Connors eyes grew wide as Hanks words sunk in. He saved them to his memory, to the very core of his CPU, and would never forget them. Emotion rose in his body like a wave and his thirium regulator pounded in his chest. He opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t form the words and pressed his head against his chest.

Hank held him, rubbing his back a little. He hoped Connor knew he was serious, and hoped that he felt the same. He truly wanted to spend the rest of his life with Connor, although he knew ultimately that would be unfair to the unchanging android; someday he really would be too old for him. Connor wouldnt want to be with him. Or maybe he would, but that might be even worse. He didn’t want Connor to feel responsible for him when he was elderly...

“I want to stay with you forever, Hank. I want to take care of you and vice versa. I want to give you the life that you deserve and make you the happiest man alive. Does... That make sense?” Connor murmured the words against his shirt. He didn’t want to come off as overbearing but it was true; Hank had changed him and taught him how to have feelings and a personality. Without him he would probably still just be a lifeless machine who followed orders.

Hank rested his chin on Connor's shoulder, but it was mostly to hide the fact that tears were running down his face now. It was everything he wanted to hear, everything he could dream of.  
Connor’s hands slipped up Hanks back, gentle and soothing, and his sensors picked up on the emotional change in the other man. His own eyes were glossy but he didn’t cry; he had never really cried before and wasn’t sure he knew how to.

Hank hugged him a long time, trying to calm himself, but it was hard. It was hard for him not to be overwhelmed by being loved.

Connor’s arms tightened around him and he nuzzled his face into his neck comfortingly, just holding him close as he got his feelings out. He finally calmed in his arms, and wiped eyes gruffly. "Christ Connor....quit doin this to me."

“I refuse, Hank.” Connor smiled and reached a hand up to swipe a slender finger over his cheek. He would never stop telling Hank how he felt especially now that he had the ability to. “I’m going to keep saying these things even if you get sick of them.”

Hank smiled through his teary eyes, then leaned in and kissed him sweetly.

Connor kissed him back gently and lifted both hands up to cup his cheeks as he did so.

Hank wrapped his arms around Connors middle, holding him as he kissed him.

Coonor thumbed wiped away the remainder of Hanks tears and his lips moved gently against his mouth, soothing and loving. When he pulled away he gave a soft, pleased sigh. “Thank you for loving me Hank.”

"You don’t make it very hard. I know sometimes I do." Hank smiled weakly.

“No. You never do. I love you every second of every day. I have for a long time.” Connor reached to take his hand gently.

Hank took Connor's hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing it softly. The sweet, simple move pushed Connor over the edge suddenly, and tears spilled from his wide eyes. He was quiet as he cried, his cheeks wet, and watched Hanks face with the softest expression of complete adoration.

As he watched the tears suddenly slip out, Hank looked shocked and a little concerned. "C-connor....youre....crying...." He still held his hand, and his other came up to Connor's cheek.  
“Huh? O-oh... I’m okay.” Connor reached his free hand up to touch his own cheek and brought it away slowly. He wasn’t mad or sad or upset and a diagnostic wasn’t helpful. “I... This is embarrassing.”

Hank smiled and leaned in, kissing his wet cheek. "I guess now you know how I feel."

“Y-yeah.” The reaction still startled Connor and he stepped away to rub at his eyes. The tears stopped as quickly as they started.

"Theres nothing wrong with crying you know. I just still get embarrassed about seeming soft."

“Why is it bad to be ‘soft’?” Connor rubbed at his eyes again. “I mean... From anyone else’s perspective you certainly don’t seem that way.”

"I...don't know. I guess...it’s a self defense thing. After Cole died, I couldn't take people...pitying me. It just made it all hurt more. I figured if I got hard, it would be easier to deal with."

Connor watched him and felt sad, the emotions rising up in him again, but he wouldn’t cry again. “I understand. But... You don’t have to hide your emotion around me. I want to see all of you. I want you to be yourself.”

"Well...I think I’m getting better at it. You’ve helped me a lot. You’re the first person I’ve opened up to about anything."

“I’m glad to have helped you. I feel like I’m a good listener, if anything.” Connor smiled a little and rubbed over his cheeks as if the sensation of tears was still there.

Hank stepped closer, slipping his arms back around him and kissing him deeply.

Connor returned the kiss just as deeply and shuffled closer to let his arms slip around his neck. He felt warm inside and out, and being in Hanks arms was more comforting than anything he had ever known.

"Lets go to dinner" Hank mumbled against his lips.

“Yes.” Connor smiled and stepped away from him. Turning to Sumo, he leaned down and gave him a kiss and a ruffle to his neck. “We’ll be back soon, Sumo.”

"We'll bring you back some treats" Hank ruffled the dogs fur as well. He waited for Connor, then headed out, leading him a short walk down the beach.

Connor stuck close to him and looked around. The sun had nearly fully set and cast a warm glow on everything, giving the trees and buildings a dreamlike glow.

They arrived at a beachside restaurant, a luau, and were brought inside. Both had leis placed on them, then they were seated at a table with an ocean view. The place had mostly couples in it, and was dimly lit by tiki torches and candles, with colorful flowers everywhere.

Connor looked absolutely delighted and couldn’tt stop looking around at everything. He touched the flowers around his neck and ran his fingers over them, reveling at the softness of the petals, and sat at the table. “This is amazing, Hank. It’s so warm and colorful.”

Hank smiled, watching Connor’s wonder fondly. A waiter came over and took Hank's order, then saw Connor's LED. He just smiled. "Did you want anything sir?"

Connor blinked up at the waiter in surprise and shook his head. “No, thank you.”

The waiter nodded and went. Hank seemed pleased and looked at Connor across from him. "Good service too."

“I’ve never been treated kindly like that before. It’s surprising but it feels good.” Connor looked up at Hank and nodded, his fingers fiddling with a loose string on his shirt as he did so.

Hank reached across to take his hand. "This our special vacation and I aint letting anyone give you any shit. I will literally punch them."

Connor’s thumb slipped over the back of his hand fondly. “I don’t want you punching anyone... I don’t want you getting arrested, either.”

Hank smirked. The waiter brought him a large, fun, fruity looking drink and he happily sipped it between giving his food order.

Connor let his chin rest in his hand and watched Hank with a smile. The fruity drink was a stark contrast from the whiskey he usually enjoyed, and he wondered how it tasted. “That looks good. It’s very pretty.”

"Its great. Very fruity. I don’t usually like sweet drinks. Do you want to taste it?" Hank watched him.

“I’d like to try it.” Connor had analyzed food before but that had been for work and not for pleasure.

Hank pushed the glass over to him. He wondered of things really 'tasted' to him.

Connor took a tiny sip of the drink and let his body break down the liquid. He didn’t taste anything but he saw the components of the drink flash across his screen. Mango, strawberry. Blue curaçao. Vodka. Water from the ice... And trace hints of Hanks saliva. He dissected the alcohol count and broke down the elements. “It’s very fruity. Lots of alcohol too.”

Hank nodded "But…you don’t really taste it as good or bad?" He was curious, still wanting to know how Connor interacted with the world.

“No, I don’t. My CPU just breaks down everything and tells me the ingredients. I don’t actually have the capabilities to ‘taste’ unfortunately.” That would be a human pleasure that he would never be able to experience. “But I can tell you that the coconut in your drink was sourced locally, if you were wondering.”

"I'm sorry. I wished we could share it."

“It’s okay. Enjoy it for the both of us.” Connor smiled.

Hank smiled and ran his thumb over his hand gently. His food came, a large meal with pineapple covered meats and such. An announcement was made that the show would soon start, and everyone looked to the stage area.

The show began with traditional dancers, then followed with fire dancers. Hank ate and watched in interest.

Connor was thrilled, and genuinely entertained. He commented quietly at how talented and beautiful they are, then clapped eagerly when they’re finished.

Hank clapped as well, seeming to be enjoying himself too. He finished eating a while later, seeming very pleased. He payed for his meal but kept his bar tab open, getting up. "Lets go sit on the beach." 

Connor got up and neatly pushed in his chair, thanked the waiter, and headed into the beach.

Hank grabbed another drink on his way, and strolled out into the sand with it. His hand found Connor's and slipped into it.

Connor squeezed his hand gently and took off his sandals once they reached the sand. The sun had set but the amount of stars in the sky were dazzling. “You never see the stars like this in Detroit.”

"Definitely not." Hank smiled, kicking off his own sandals. He sighed happily, looking up at the sky.

Connor tipped his head up to the sky and pointed at some stars, naming some constellations and the astrology behind them. “Mars is over there too.”

"Huh. So what do you think about constellations?" He looked to him, managing to catch his eyes in the starlight.

“I think they’re a curious arrangement of stars, or dying suns, that humans assigned mythology to. But...” Connor squinted as he looked up. “I do see the appeal. That one certainly looks like a big spoon.”

Hank laughed. "Yeah. I guess I agree." He gave his hand a little squeeze happily.

“Humans have such elaborate imaginations. It’s really incredible.” Connor returned the squeeze and glanced back at him.

"I suppose. I bet androids can be just as creative though." They walked to the water edge.

“Maybe I’ll learn to be creative.” 

Hank gazed over at him. "I feel like you’d like photography"

“You think so? Cyberlife created me with an advanced memory and photography capabilities in the hope I would use it to gather evidence but... I don’t really need it so much anymore.”

"Yeah, but none of that brain picture shit. Real pictures that other people can see" Hank watched him steadily.

“That might be a hobby I’d like to take up.” Connor smiled. “I’d take a lot of pictures of you, you know.”

"Well those aint making it into any galleries" Hank teased.

“Why not?” Connor sounded confused and quirked an eyebrow

"Nobody wants to look at a fat old man but you, Connor."

“That’s absolutely untrue Hank.” Connor rolled his eyes and looked back to the water. He shuffled in up to his ankles, still holding Hank’s hand. He looked up and stared out at the horizon quietly.

Hank finished his second drink. "If I get drunk are you gonna take advantage of me?" He smirked at him

The question caught Connor off guard and he looked at him with raised eyebrows. “I would never do anything without your consent, Hank.”

"I was kidding Connor. And trust me, you'll have my full consent."

“Oh. Well, in that case, then yes.” Connor grinned. “As long as it’s what you want.”

"I want you Connor. I always do." 

Connor looked flustered under the low light and squeezed Hank’s hand again, unable to make a proper response.

"Im gonna go close my tab. Then let’s head back." Hank suggested.

“Alright. Are you going to take a drink for the road?”

"I'll make one at the room."

“Okay.” Connor nodded and turned to head back onto the drier sand.

They headed back to their room after paying for the drinks, grabbing their shoes on their way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hank is unaware of the sheer number of Hank F*ckers on twitter it seems.  
> Also, sorry for his kind of problematic joke, he's a dumbass.


End file.
